Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland and former Governor of Oyo State, is set to ascend the throne as the next Olubadan, following the demise of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin on July 7, 2025.
As the most senior chief on the civil (Otun) line, Ladoja is next in line under Ibadan’s age-long rotational chieftaincy system, which alternates between the civil and military (Balogun) lines.
Born on September 25, 1944, in Gambari village near Ibadan, the former governor attended Ibadan Boys’ High School and Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, before proceeding to the University of Liège in Belgium, where he obtained a degree in Chemical Engineering.
After returning to Nigeria, Ladoja began his professional career with Total Nigeria Plc, later venturing into private business and politics.
He was elected Governor of Oyo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2003, but was controversially impeached in January 2006. He was reinstated by the Supreme Court in December 2006 and completed his term in May 2007.
Since leaving office, he has remained a key player in Oyo State politics, contesting elections under different political parties before settling with the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in 2018.
In August 2024, Ladoja accepted the beaded crown as Otun Olubadan, a key requirement under the amended Ibadan chieftaincy declaration for any aspirant to the Olubadan throne.
Speaking in an interview on a private radio station after accepting the crown, Ladoja declared: “By the grace of God, I will become Olubadan. My blood pressure has been stable; anyone God destined to become Olubadan will become Olubadan.”
The 2024 amendment to the chieftaincy law, which now permits only beaded crown Obas to ascend the throne, had earlier drawn criticism. While some viewed it as a political move allegedly targeted at Ladoja due to his opposition to Governor Seyi Makinde’s re-election in 2023, the State Government maintained that the reform was based on recommendations from the committee led by the late Oba Lekan Balogun and aimed at modernising the traditional institution.
Ibadan’s chieftaincy succession system, which has remained intact for over 170 years, is known for its orderly transition and peaceful rotation between the civil and military lines.
With the throne now vacant, the Olubadan-in-Council is expected to meet soon to officially nominate the next Olubadan. Upon ratification, the name will be forwarded to the Oyo State Governor for final approval and coronation.
If confirmed, Oba Rashidi Ladoja will become the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, opening a new chapter in the leadership of one of Nigeria’s oldest and most respected traditional institutions.
