The Olubadan-in-Council on Thursday dismissed claim by Head of the Seriki line in Ibadan, Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Oyediji, that he is the next qualified candidate for the Olubadan stool.
Oyediji had renewed his agitation for the inclusion of the Seriki line in the chieftaincies of Ibadanland following the death of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana, Odugade 1 on Tuesday.
The 89 year-old businessman on Wednesday said he is the next person to be installed as the Olubadan and not the Balogun Olubadan, High Chief Saliu Adetunji, who by Ibadan succession system is in pole position to succeed the late Oba Odugade.
Oyediji based his claim on the fact that a previous 1989 judgment of an Oyo State High Court had favoured the Line’s qualification for elevation to the Ekerin Olubadan position whenever two consecutive positions are vacant either in the Balogun or Otun line.
He argued that with the demise in November 2015 of two High Chiefs: Sulaimon Omiyale (Balogun line) and Omowale Kuye (Otun line), the room was open to the Seriki line to present their candidate as the third line in Ibadanland.
He has therefore approached an Oyo State High Court asking for a restraining order to prevent the Olubadan-in-Council from installing the Olubadan-in-waiting, Adetunji, as the next Olubadan.
Reacting to the claim at the Monatan residence of the late Olubadan, who died at 101 after his nine-year reign, the Olubadan-in-Council said there was no Seriki and that nobody could present himself for installation unless the Council does so to Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
Speaking on behalf of the Council, High Chief Abimbola Ajibola, the Ashipa Balogun of Ibadanland, said: ”It is undisputed that the current High Chief qualified to be Olubadan is High Chief S. A. Adetunji.
“That is the authentic one; no other one. Any other one is a counterfeit.
“You know in this our institution, we have lines and there are only two lines recognised so far, both by law and otherwise.
“It is Otun Olubadan line and Balogun line. And that is all. There is no third Line.
“Nobody is competent to say he can be Olubadan. He cannot appoint himself, he cannot put himself there.
“We are not aware of any judgment that Chief Oyediji is claiming because at the moment there is no Seriki or whatsoever.
“Even, the 1959 declaration law, which he quoted, says that ‘if there are two vacancies in one line’. No other judgment can overrule the law. That is the law, basically. So, we have no Seriki now.
“The only Seriki we knew then was Akinloye and he died long time ago. There is no execution; there is nothing, no awareness.
“How can they say they want to be Olubadan? Who is going to sign for them?
“It is under the tradition that we have two Lines: the Otun Line and the Balogun Line.
“All members of the council would sign for whosoever to be proposed. Who is going to sign for them? The governor will not even sign for them.
“Whoever we present to Olubadan as kingmakers is what the governor will follow. Are they going to sign for themselves?
“They are not part of our meetings. We have never had any meeting with them. They have not been promoted.
“What they should do, they should do it right away in time. They have not asked the Olubadan before he was deceased to promote them. So, who is laying claim to what?
“There is nobody competent so far. “It is fake news.”
On the claim by Oyediji that vacancies were created by the demise of Omiyale and Kuye last year, the Council said: ”Even if they lay claim to the Omiyale and Kuye, that is gone.
“There are no more existing vacancies. We have filled the vacancies. So, where are they going to come in?
“At the moment, the only person competent to come in would have been Seriki and there is none. This man, Oyediji, who is laying claim to be Olubadan or that he is competent, is only Osi Seriki.
“He has not been promoted. He should apply to Olubadan to promote him first before he starts arguing.
“He has no locus standi. He won’t present anything to the governor. The governor would not listen.
“The governor knows the right thing. There is a system for everything. There is no Seriki to sign for him.
“We are not to join issues with them because we don’t recognise Seriki things. That is the principle so far.”
Oyediji, however, countered, saying: “Whatever they like let them say.
“I don’t have anything to react to with respect to what they told you. My position is that they should meet me in court.
“Let them come and tell the court whatever they want to say.
“That is my reaction.”
