The Balogun of Ibadan land, His Royal Majesty Tajudeen Ademola Ajibola, has congratulated the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, on the first anniversary of his ascension to the throne, describing the occasion as a memorable milestone while calling on residents of Ibadan to sustain peace, shun criminal activities and uphold the city’s reputation as a pace-setter.
Speaking during the celebration marking one year of Oba Ladoja’s reign, Ajibola said the anniversary provided an opportunity for the people of Ibadan to celebrate the traditional ruler while also praying for a long and successful reign.
According to him, the occasion was significant to the people of Ibadan, noting that the city had every reason to celebrate the monarch’s first year on the throne. “As you can see, we are celebrating a memorable day as Olubadan, Oba Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, clocks a year on the throne today. We are praying for him for a very long term on the throne, and we wish him many more years on the throne. We are all happy to celebrate him,” he said.
The Balogun stressed that the celebration should not only be about marking the anniversary of the monarch’s reign but should also reinforce the values of peace, responsible citizenship and communal harmony among the people of Ibadan.
Addressing the people of Ibadan, Ajibola urged residents to celebrate peacefully and avoid actions that could undermine the peace and security of the city. He said Ibadan had historically occupied an important position in the affairs of the country and should continue to demonstrate the qualities expected of a pace-setting city.
“As for me, as Balogun of Ibadan, I wish people to celebrate peacefully, stay away from crimes and all bad things. Ibadan is a pace-setter, and we should serve as examples for others,” he said.
He emphasised that residents had a collective responsibility to protect the peace and reputation of the city, particularly during celebrations and other public gatherings, urging the people to ensure that festivities did not become an avenue for criminality or disorder.
The Ibadan chief also spoke on politics and the position of the traditional institution ahead of the political activities in Oyo State, stressing that traditional rulers and chiefs were not partisan political actors and should therefore remain committed to peace, unity and the welfare of the people irrespective of political affiliation.
Ajibola explained that, as chiefs, their responsibility was not to campaign for political parties or candidates but to provide an environment where all political interests could coexist peacefully and present their programmes to the people.
“We are not partisans; we are chiefs and not politicians. Our role is to ensure peace and harmony,” he stated.
He disclosed that the traditional rulers in Ibadan were already making plans for a town hall meeting that would bring together political parties and their candidates across Oyo State.
According to him, the proposed engagement would provide an opportunity for the various political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Accord, APM and other political platforms, to present their programmes and explain what they intend to offer the people if given the opportunity to govern.
He said the initiative was being considered as part of efforts by the traditional institution to promote peace and unity in Oyo State while ensuring that the people had an opportunity to hear directly from political candidates about their plans for the state.
“All the royal fathers in Ibadan are already planning a town hall meeting for all parties in Oyo State, APC, PDP, APM, Accord and others, for the purpose of peace and unity in Oyo State,” Ajibola said.
He explained that the traditional institution wanted the political actors to come before the people and clearly articulate their programmes rather than relying solely on party affiliations or political sentiments.
“They will all come before us and tell us what they have for us because we really want good governance. Each of their candidates should tell us what they have for us, and whatever they tell us is what we will use to judge,” he said.
The Balogun maintained that the traditional institution would not discriminate among political parties or allow partisan considerations to determine its engagement with political actors. Rather, he said, the emphasis would be on the quality of governance and the tangible benefits that political candidates could offer the people.
“We are not after whether you are APC or APM; what we want is good governance,” he declared.
Ajibola’s position places emphasis on the traditional institution’s role as a platform for peacebuilding and civic engagement, particularly at a time when political activities can heighten divisions within communities.
He stressed that the proposed town hall meeting would provide an avenue for political candidates to engage directly with traditional leaders and the wider public, explain their policies and programmes, and demonstrate how they intend to address the needs of the people of Oyo State.
The Balogun therefore called on residents to approach political activities with responsibility and focus their attention on issues that affect the development and wellbeing of the state rather than allowing political party affiliations to create unnecessary divisions.
He reiterated that the overriding interest of the traditional institution remained peace, unity and good governance, stressing that political identity should not be allowed to supersede the collective interest of the people.
As the people of Ibadan celebrated the first anniversary of Oba Ladoja’s reign, Ajibola also urged residents to use the occasion to reflect on the values that had sustained the city over the years, including communal responsibility, respect for traditional institutions, peaceful coexistence and commitment to the development of Ibadan and Oyo State.
He prayed for the Olubadan to enjoy many more years on the throne and expressed optimism that the monarch’s reign would continue to contribute to the peace, unity and development of Ibadanland.
The anniversary, he said, was therefore not merely a celebration of one year on the throne but also an opportunity for the people to reaffirm their commitment to peace, responsible citizenship and the collective progress of Ibadanland.
