Olori Ashley Folasade, wife of the Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, represented her husband at the coronation of Oba Rashidi Ladoja as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland on Friday in Ibadan.
The Ooni is currently observing a seven-day exclusion from the public as part of activities marking the 2025 Olojo Festival.
In videos shared online, Olori Folasade was seen sitting in a seat apart from the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, whose palace had recently clashed with the Ooni’s over the authority to confer a Yorubaland-wide chieftaincy title.
The coronation was held at Mapo Hall, where dignitaries and traditional rulers from across Nigeria gathered for the ceremony.
Also present were the Oluwo of Iwo Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, the Olugbo of Ugbo Oba Obateru Akinruntan and the Timi of Edeland, Oba Munirudeen Lawal.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar Sa’ad III, also joined dignitaries at the coronation, alongside former governors, lawmakers and political leaders from across the country.
The Ooni, who was absent from the ceremony, had earlier visited Oba Ladoja at his Bodija residence on Sunday ahead of the coronation.
During the visit, Ladoja called for unity among Yoruba monarchs, stressing that supremacy disputes often emanated from supporters rather than the rulers themselves.
The coronation comes days after the Ooni’s palace faulted the Oluwo of Iwo over his claim that Ile-Ife is not the origin of the Yoruba people.
The Ooni’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, dismissed the Oluwo’s remarks, saying they were not worthy of a response.
The ceremony began with traditional rites at the Labosinde Compound, Oja’ba, before Oba Ladoja proceeded in a grand procession to Mapo Hall.
Oba Ladoja succeeded the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who died on July 7.
