The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, is still not happy with former governor Abiola Ajimobi over the crisis the elevation of high chiefs to Obaship status.
Ajimobi, had towards the tail end of his two-term administration elevated high chiefs and Baales to Obaship status.
This newspaper understands that the case in respect of the crisis is still in court.
Oba Adetunji, who spoke on the controversies trailing the implementation of the Ibadan chieftaincy reform law by the Ajimobi administration, said Ajimobi is not his son. “He is not my son; a person who does behave well and has no respect for my stool is never my son.”
The monarch, who is the 41st Olubadan, bared his mind in an interview with SundayPUNCH.
This is just as he denied consenting to the reform, explaining that “When he (Ajimobi) informed me about the plan, I told him to be patient so that we would know how to handle it. But he ignored my advice and started doing what pleased him. I know that with what he was doing, he was just putting himself into trouble. He did what he wanted to do; he didn’t carry me along. How would I have consented to what was clearly against the tradition of the land? And I thank God the new governor listens to wise counsel; he is calm and he acknowledges the supremacy of the kings.”
He said that he is not unwilling to welcome the elevated Obas back to the Olubadan-in-council, asking if they really want to come back. “Is it as kings or as chiefs? If they want to come back, they must first drop their crowns. Besides, in Yorubaland, once you become a king, you cannot say you want to become a chief again. That is what they ought to have understood. Ibadan is not different from other Yorubaland.”
On the accusation that his wife meddles in the affairs of the council, which affected the council’s decisions at its meetings, he explained that “the allegation against my wife is not true. She has nothing to do with the issue at hand. It was a blatant lie that she interfered in the decisions at the palace.”
