Olubadan: CCII Mobilizes Ibadan Influentials for Weeklong Celebration of Oba Ladoja’s Coronation -

In what many have described as an unprecedented move, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) is rallying prominent sons and daughters of the city to support the weeklong celebration of the coronation of the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, who will be crowned next Friday as the 44th Olubadan.

The CCII President-General, Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole, recently inaugurated a high-powered committee co-chaired by two of the city’s billionaire businessmen, Engr. Dotun Sanusi and Chief Adegboye Adegoke, to oversee preparations for the celebration.

Earlier, the Oyo State Government had inaugurated a committee led by Chief Adebayo Oyero to plan the Friday, September 26, coronation in line with the state’s tradition of funding the coronation of first-class traditional rulers.

However, the CCII insisted that unlike previous Olubadans, the new monarch—being a successful billionaire businessman, former Senator, former Governor, and respected elder statesman—deserves a more elaborate celebration.

To this end, the CCII inaugurated the committee with frontline Ibadan indigenes donating ₦10 million each toward the event. The committee has set aside seven additional days, aside from the official coronation day, to mark a weeklong series of festivities.

In addition, arrangements have been made for live broadcast of the coronation by leading media houses including Arise TV, Channels TV, TVC, Solution FM, and Ilaji FM, among other national platforms.

According to Comrade Demola Babalola and Alhaji Kunle Junaid, both co-chairmen of the Media and Publicity Subcommittee of the Local Organizing Committee, the weeklong activities will unfold as follows:

Monday, September 22: Inter-religious prayers at the Olubadan Palace, Oke-Aremo, Ibadan, followed by a stage play on the progenitor of Kabiyesi Arusa at Apex Hall, Yidi, Agodi.

Tuesday, September 23: Cultural Day celebrations at the Olubadan Stadium.

Wednesday, September 24: The first-ever Olubadan Coronation Lecture to be delivered by renowned Ibadan-born historian, Prof. Toyin Falola, at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.

Thursday, September 25: To mark Oba Ladoja’s 81st birthday, Islamic prayers will hold at the Olubadan Palace by 10 a.m., followed by a mega praise and worship service at the Civic Centre, Agodi, Ibadan, from 2 p.m.

Friday, September 26: Coronation ceremony at Mapo Hall beginning at 9 a.m., followed by a grand reception organized by the monarch and his family at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium from 3 p.m.

Sunday, September 28: A thanksgiving service at the Church of Ascension, Bodija, Ibadan, followed by a grand civic reception at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, at 2 p.m.

Friday, October 3: Jumat service at the Ibadan Central Mosque, Oja’ba.

Saturday, October 4: Traditional worshippers’ “Isese” celebration at Ose Meji Temple, Oja’ba.

With these elaborate programs, the CCII and Ibadan influentials are set to make Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja’s coronation one of the most memorable in the history of Ibadanland.