The Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji, and his High Chiefs have solidified their reconciliation two years after the controversial crowning of members tore the Olubadan-In-Council apart.
According to Newspeakonline, members of the council held an impromptu meeting at the Popoyemoja palace of the Olubadan on August 26 when they came to felicitate with him on his 91st birthday. The high chiefs were led to the palace by the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun.
The meeting was reported to have marked an end to the crisis and addressing of traditional issues that were kept pending while the estrangement lasted. One of such issues was filling of vacancies that had been created by the death of two high chiefs.
High Chiefs Olufemi Olaifa and Fadare Falowo died during the crisis period but the monarch could not fill the vacancies since the council was not meeting.
Oba Adetunji reportedly ignored suggestions to fill the vacancies independently, since the council was said to be merely advisory.
The council then gave approval to the proposal and a letter requesting Governor Seyi Makinde’s consent has since been sent to his office through the local government and the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
While the positions of Olaifa’s Otun Balogun and Falowo’s Ekerin Balogun will now be filled by Senior Chief Isioye Dada and another senior chief, making them automatic members of the Olubadan-In-Council, their promotion will also cause the elevation of others below on the Balogun line of the ladder.
One of such chiefs who would make the climb is Chief Sharafadeen Alli, the governorship candidate of the Zenith Labour Party in the last governorwhip election in Oyo State. He would now become the Ekefa Balogun, just two steps away from becoming a high chief and an automatic member of the council.
Other high chiefs who would go up the ladder include High Chiefs Tajudeen Ajibola and Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe.