AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, has crowned a 116-year-old man, named Tiamiyu Olubiyi Oladipupo, alongside 31 other baales (village heads) king.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State presented staff of office to the 116-year-old man, as the Alaba of Abanla in Oluyole Local Government Area of the state and the other elevated baales on Friday, at the Oja’ba Palace of the Olubadan of Ibadan.
The coronation ceremony was graced by members of the Olubadan Advisory Council; a retired Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the Head of Royalty Committee in Ibadan, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi; Mogaji of Olugbade Compound, Chief Dotun Sanusi; Chairman, Association of Ibadan Mogajis, Chief Asimiyu Ariori; President-General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Ajeniyi Ajewole; and several other personalities.
The occasion witnessed huge turnout of indigenes who came to rejoice with their community heads.
In an address on the occasion, Segun Olayiwola, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in the state, who represented Governor Makinde, said that “The history of Ibadan is being written in gold today. Ibadan, which used to have one king, now has many obas that would, henceforth, be following Olubadan to occasions, or even represent the paramount ruler of the city at events.”
It was disclosed that the newly coronated obas would be addressed as ‘His Royal Highness,’ while members of the Olubadan Advisory Council, crowned as kings on July 7, 2023, are being addressed as ‘His Royal Majesty.’
The Olubadan, who is the paramount ruler in Ibadanland, is being addressed as ‘His Imperial Majesty.’
With the coronation of the 32 baales as kings, as two stools (that of the Onimoniya of Moniya in Akinyele Local Government, and Alakufo of Akufo in Ido Local Government Area) are vacant, the total number of obas in the land now comes to 43.
