Olubadan-designate Rashidi Ladoja says Yoruba rulers’ rivalry is fuelled by supporters’ actions, not monarchs, urging peace and unity in Yorubaland

Speaking at his Bodija residence in Ibadan on Thursday during a courtesy visit by the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao, and his wife, Oba Ladoja dismissed the perceived supremacy tussle between the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, as a problem created by overzealous followers.

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“I have always made it clear that neither the Ooni nor the Alaafin is responsible for the disunity we see. It is their supporters who, in trying to justify historical claims, end up fuelling discord. They forget that history is often subjective,” he said.

Ladoja stressed that each monarch reigns within his own domain, adding: “The Alaafin cannot go to Ile-Ife to rule, just as the Ooni cannot rule in Oyo.”

Drawing an analogy with international relations, the Olubadan-designate likened the disputes to Britain’s colonisation of America. “That past no longer defines the present. Today, if America sneezes, Britain catches a cold,” he said.

Reflecting on Ibadan’s historical role, Oba Ladoja argued that without Ibadan’s influence, many Yoruba monarchs might have been reduced to bearing titles similar to Emirs. He emphasised the need to modernise Ibadanland while preserving its heritage.

In his remarks, Oba Francis Alao congratulated Oba Ladoja on his selection as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, describing the milestone as significant not only for Ibadan and Oyo State but also for Nigeria as a whole.