Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State declared three High Chiefs of Ibadanland as Obas during a ceremony at Mapo Hall, Ibadan, on Friday. The pronouncement was made in absentia, with Makinde stating the move was necessary to prevent a leadership vacuum and to maintain the integrity of the Ibadan traditional system. The event drew several dignitaries, including traditional rulers and prominent community leaders. The new Obas are Chief Iyanuoluwa Alao, who becomes Oba Alao of Iyanfoworogi; Chief Oludare Adeyemo, now Oba Adeyemo of Iyaganku; and Chief Adetokunbo Oyebajo, titled Oba Oyebajo of Ilokun. Makinde emphasized that the Ibadan chieftaincy system remains structured and must be preserved without disruption.
Installing Obas in absentia bypasses the usual rites and public validation that anchor traditional legitimacy. Governor Makinde's decision to appoint Chief Iyanuoluwa Alao, Chief Oludare Adeyemo, and Chief Adetokunbo Oyebajo without their physical presence risks undermining the cultural weight of the titles. When political authority shortcuts tradition, it raises doubts about whether these new Obas will command genuine respect in Ibadanland. Symbolism matters in chieftaincy—and this act may signal more about executive influence than royal succession.
