Personalities from different walks of life, Sunday, witnessed the 8-day Fidau prayer for late Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, held at the historic Mapo Hall, Ibadan.
Present at the ceremony, included, a former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, represented by Senator Ganiyu Solomon; Oyo State governor, Mr Seyi Makinde,represented by the commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Bayo Lawal; former Oyo governor, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja and wife, Mutiat; Senator Teslim Folarin, representing Oyo Central.
Others were, the last governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Adelabu; leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Elder Wole Oyelese; former Senator, Soji Akanbi; governorship aspirants in Oyo State, Dr Joseph Tegbe and Dr Azeez Adeduntan; Publicity Secretary of the Oyo PDP, Mr Akeem Olatunji.
Also present were the Aare Musulumi of Yoruba land, Edo and Delta, Alhaji Daud Makanjuola; Chief Imam of Ibadan land, Sheik Abdulganiyy Abubakri; Islamic scholar, Professor Kamil Oloso; Evangelist Bola Are; President General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Yemisi Adeaga; Chairman of the 11 local government areas in Ibadan land; several Christian and Islamic clerics.
Chiefs who attended the event included the Osi Balogun of Ibadan land, High Chief Lateef Adebimpe; Ekarun Olubadan of Ibadan land, High Chief Amidu Ajibade; Bada Balogun of Ibadan land, Chief Adegboyega Adegoke.
Prior the fidau, Apostle Joel Iyiola of Bible Faith Church, Amuloko, in a Christian sermon, charged humans to surrender their heart to God and preserve the life God has given to them bearing in mind that they will give account at the end of their time here on earth.
For the Muslim sermon, Professor Kamil Oloso, stressed the need for humans to live a good life for them to be assured of paradise after their sojourn on earth.
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As the 8-day Fidau for the late Oba Adetunji was concluded, processes towards the emergence of the next Olubadan will be stepped up with a meeting between the Olubadan-in-Council members and Governor ‘Seyi Makinde is scheduled for Tuesday.
Tuesday’s first official meeting of the kingmakers with the governor, which was convened at the instance of the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, is to hold at the Olubadan Palace, Oja’Oba, Ibadan.
The nine high Chiefs, who are authentic kingmakers, that have been invited to the meeting are the Balogun of Ibadan land, High Chief Owolabi Olakuleyin; Otun Balogun of Ibadan land, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola; Osi Balogun of Ibadan land, High Chief Lateef Adebimpe; Ashipa Balogun of Ibadan land, High Chief Kolawole Adegbola; Ekerin Balogun of Ibadan land, High Chief Isioye Dada.
Also billed to be at the meeting are, Osi Olubadan of Ibadan land, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja; Asipa Olubadan of Ibadan land, High Chief Eddy Oyewole; Ekerin Olubadan of Ibadan land, High Chief Abiodun Kola-Daisi; Iyalode Olubadan of Ibadan, High Chief Theresa Oyekanmi.
The Otun Balogun of Ibadan land, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola affirmed receiving his invite to Tuesday’s meeting, from the state government, which he said other concerned kingmakers should have also received.
Ajibola pointed out that Tuesday’s meeting was a sequel to the earlier meeting of the Olubadan-in-council held at the house of the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan land, High Chief Lekan Balogun, and last Wednesday’s press conference where the council stated its choice of Balogun becoming the next Olubadan in line with the historical line of succession of Olubadan chieftaincy.
Ajibola said the kingmakers, will at the meeting, present its agreed choice of Balogun as the next Olubadan to the state government, and leave the state governor with the decision to ratify the council’s choice.
Corroborating Ajibola, the Osi Balogun of Ibadan land, High Chief Lateef Adebimpe and Ekarun Olubadan of Ibadan land, High Chief Amidu Ajibade said Tuesday’s meeting is to formalise the council’s decision on its choice of Balogun as the next Olubadan.
They explained that the press conference held last Wednesday was that of Olubadan-in-council to showcase the Olubadan-elect to the public as fit for the task while that of Tuesday is strictly for the kingmakers to inform and formally write government on its choice.
Ends
