THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013
32
SOUTHWEST REPORT
33
SOUTHWEST REPORT
Many palaces, one throne •The unique story of the Ibadan obaship system that throws up many palaces
•Oba Igbintade Palace (1952-1955)
•Olubadan Palace, Oja Oba
THE STEPS
BISI OLADELE examines the unique Ibadan obaship system that makes access to the throne an all-comer affair and creates many palaces across the city. He also looks at the journey to a new, multi-billion Olubadan palace which is in the works NLIKE in other Yoruba towns, palaces are scattered across Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. They are artefacts that emanated from former great men who ruled the city across times and ages. There is the Oba Ogundipe Palace. There is the Asanke Palace. There is the Adeyemo Palace and there is also the palace of the current Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade 1, among others. They are visible, reminding indigenes and particularly, younger generations in the family, of their great ancestry. Yet, sitting atop the Mapo Hill is the official palace for the throne. Located a few metres away from the historical Mapo Hall, the palace, was however, only used by Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike during whose reign it was built in the 1980s. Before and after Oba Asanike, monarchs in the city ruled their people from the comfort of their homes which they turned to the palace at coronation. All affairs of the city are discussed there with all members of the Olubadan-in-Council shifting their attendance to the new palaces. Most palaces are located in the remote communities within the city. They are common around Oja’ba, Oranyan, Irefin, Oke Are, Eleta and Agbadagbudu. But current palaces are shifting location to new areas as the current palace is located at Monatan, a modern and fairly elitist community. This is due largely to the elit-
U
ist nature of the current monarch. Oba Odulana was a Minister of Labour in the First Republic. A member of the Olubadan-inCouncil, High Chief Lekan Balogun, said the idea of ruling from one’s personal palace has no negative significance in Ibadan land. According to him, it only makes the job convenient for the reigning king. But the situation is set to give way as elite indigenes of the city are about to launch a multibillion Naira palace for their king. The elite, under the auspices of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), would, before the end of the year, launch the project. The council’s National President, Chief Bayo Oyero, disclosed this in an interview with The Nation. Oyero explained that the palace would sit on a large expanse of land on the Agala Hill at the centre of the city. A total of six acres of land has been set aside for the complex. The hill is adjacent to the University College Hospital (UCH) in the city. According to the CCII president, the proposed modern palace will be a cluster of structures which will be part of what he called the “Olubadan Palace Complex.” The complex will consist of social facilities including a clinic, guest house, museum and a library, among others. Oyero said the complex would
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•Baale Irefin’s Palace (1912-1914)
be built in phases, stressing that the first phase which is expected to take off next year, would cost at least N2 billion. He said: “It has been a major concern and major focus for CCII for a long time. Ibadan House, which serves as CCII office, was built on part of the piece of land earmarked for the Olubadan Complex. We already have the design. A committee for the construction of the Olubadan Palace is already in place. They have been meeting. The cost runs into billions and we will build in phases. The first phase will cost about N2 billion. We have other facilities such as a church, a mosque, a swimming pool, police station
and all conveniences - all within the palace complex.” When completed, the palace will offer a clear and good view of the city as the hill is centrally located. It will also border a modern residential estate which grew on the hill in the early 1990s. The combination of all these features will make the palace perhaps the most modern in Nigeria. THE OLUBADAN THRONE The accession to the throne of the Olubadan is as unique as the city. Unlike in other Yoruba towns where only few, specific ruling houses produce the king, the Olubadan throne is open to all Ibadan indigenes who are able to rise across the tradi-
tional ladder. In the unique system, every compound nominates a distinguished son for the Mogaji chieftaincy title. Hence all compounds have at least, a Mogaji. Then, the Olubadan-in-Council, which is made up of the monarch and the high chiefs, can promote any Mogaji to Jagun. This promotion puts the man on the ladder to the Olubadan throne. Promotion to higher cadres occurs only when an occupant of any of the positions dies. From the Jagun, candidates climb 21 steps before emerging as the Olubadan on the Otun Olubadan line while candidates climb 22 other steps on the Balogun line.
This system accounts for the reason the throne is open to all indigenes and prevents unhealthy contest for the throne as the next Olubadan is already well known by virtue of their chieftaincy titles. Accession is rotated between the two lines. But it also leaves the throne occupied by old men, most times, octogenarians and older candidates, unlike in other Yoruba towns where young men stand a chance. There are two lines to the throne: the Otun Olubadan chieftaincy line and the Balogun chieftaincy line. Each compound historically belongs to either of the lines to ultimately produce the Olubadan.
Accession to the throne is rotated between the two lines. For instance, the current Olubadan is from the Otun line. Interestingly, some top partisan politicians are currently close to the throne. They are the current Osi Olubadan of Ibadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun and Ashipa Olubadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja. While Balogun is a former senator and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ladoja is a former governor of the state and Leader of the Accord Party (AP). Analysts are raising concern that politicians who eventually emerge as the Olubadan may experience crisis of partiality among their subjects.
Otun Olubadan/Balogun of Ibadanland Osi Olubadan/Otun Balogun Ashipa Olubadan/Osi Balogun Ekerin Olubadan/Ashipa Balogun Ekarun-un Olubadan/Ekerin Balogun Abese Olubadan/Ekarun-un Balogun Maye Olubadan/Abese Balogun Ekefa Olubadan/Maye Balogun Agbaakin Olubadan/Ekefa Balogun Aare Alaasa Olubadan/Agbaakin Balogun Ikolaba Olubadan/Aare Alaasa Balogun Asaju Olubadan/Ikolaba Balogun Ayingun Olubadan/Asaju Balogun Aare-Ago Olubadan/Ayingun Balogun Laguna Olubadan/Aare-Ago Balogun Oota Olubadan/Laguna Balogun Aregbe-Omo Olubadan/Oota Balogun Gbonkaa Olubadan/Aregbe-Omo Balogun Aare-Onibon Olubadan/Gbonkaa Balogun Bada Olubadan/Aare Onibon Balogun Ajia Olubadan/Bada Balogun Jagun Olubadan/Ajia Balogn Jagun Balogun (Balogun line only)
BAALES AND OLUBADANS TILL DATE 1. Lagelu (Date unknown) 2. Baale Maye Okunade (1820-1830) 3. Baale Oluyedun (1830-1835) 4. Baale Lakanle (1836-1836) 5. Basorun Oluyole (1836-1850) 6. Baale Oderinlo Opeagbe (1850-1851) 7. Baale Oyesile Olugbode (1851-1864) 8. Basorun Ogunmola (1864-1867) 9. Balogun Beyioku Akere 1 (1867-1869) 10. Baale Orowusi (1869-1871) 11. Aare Latoosa (1871-1885) 12. Balogun Ajayi Osungbekun (1885-1893) 13. Baale Fijabi 1 (1893-1895) 14. Baale Osuntoki Olosun (1895-1897) 15. Basorun Fajimi (1897-1902) 16. Baale Masaderin (1902-1904) 17. Baale Dada Opadere (1904-1907) 18. Basorun Sunmonu Apanpa (1907-1910) 19. Baale Akintayo Awanibaku Elenpe (1910-1912)
20. Baale Irefin (1912-1914) 21. Baale Shittu (1914-1925) 22. Baale Oyewole Aiyejenku (1925-1930) 23. Oba Okunola Abass Alesinloye (1930-1946) 24. Oba Fagbinrin Akere 2 (1946-1946) 25. Oba Oyetunde 1 (1946-1946) 26. Oba Akintunde Bioku (1947-1948) 27. Oba Fijabi 2 (1948-1952) 28. Oba Memudu Alli-Iwo (1952-1952) 29. Oba Igbintade Apete (1952-1955) 30. Oba Isaac Babalola Akinyele (1955-1964) 31. Oba Yesufu Kobiowu (1964-1964) 32. Oba Salawu Akanbi Aminu (1965-1971) 33. Oba Shittu Akintola Oyetunde 11 (1972-1976) 34. Oba Gbadamosi Akanbi Adebimpe (1976-1977) 35. Oba Daniel Akintayo Akinbiyi (1977-1982) 36. Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanke (1983-1993) 37. Oba Emmanuel Adegboyega Adeyemo (1994-1999) 38. Oba Dr Yinusa Bankole Ogundipe (1999-2007) 39. Oba Dr Samuel Odulana Odugade