Makinde visits Olubadan-designate, Oba Rashidi Ladoja

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday paid a courtesy visit to the Olubadan-designate, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, at his private residence in Bodija, Ibadan.

The visit came following Oba Ladoja’s formal nomination as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland and his return to the ancient city.

Ladoja, a former governor of Oyo State, is set to succeed the late Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, whose passing created the vacancy on the throne.

Governor Makinde had earlier approved Friday, September 26, 2025, for the coronation ceremony, which will hold at the historic Mapo Hall, a traditional venue for major Ibadan chieftaincy events.

Confirming the development, Chief Adeola Oloko, media aide to the Olubadan-designate, said preparations were in top gear to ensure a successful transition. “Oba Ladoja will be installed as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland on September 26,” he stated.

Ahead of the ceremony, Oba Ladoja held a closed-door meeting with members of the Olubadan-in-Council at his Bodija residence on Tuesday. The meeting, which lasted nearly two hours, was his first official engagement with the kingmakers since his nomination and was described as cordial.

The upcoming coronation is expected to attract dignitaries from across Nigeria, given Oba Ladoja’s prominence as both a statesman and traditional leader. Residents of Ibadan are already preparing for what many describe as a historic moment in the city’s cultural and political life.