By Agnes Isoje,Oyo State

Copyright pulse

Ibadan, Nigeria’s largest indigenous city, entered a historic chapter on Friday, September 26, 2025, as Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja was crowned the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.

The coronation, which drew thousands of political figures, royal dignitaries, and citizens in their thousands, marked the ascension of an elder statesman whose life has been defined by service in politics, business, and community leadership.

The event, which took place in the historic Mapo Hall in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, occurred just a day after Oba Rashidi’s 81st birthday. He succeeds the late Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin, who passed away in July 2025.

Who Is Oba Rashidi Ladoja?

The newly crowned monarch was born on September 25, 1944, in Gambari village near Ibadan. He attended Ibadan Boys High School, but he dropped out in Form Four after his parents fell on hard times. “My parents couldn’t pay the boarding fees,” he said in an interview.

He re-enrolled in the school a year later, thanks to his father’s modest income as a clerk and a payment plan using a postal order payment plan. “I got admitted back. And I never forgot the principal who gave me that chance.”

He also attended Olivet Baptist High School, where he obtained his Higher School Certificate, which earned him an international scholarship., The scholarship took him to Belgium, where he studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Liège between 1966 and 1972.

Rashidi’s professional career began with Total Nigeria (1973–1985), before he transitioned into private business, where he built investments in shipping, oil and gas, agriculture, and banking. By 2000, he was a director at Standard Trust Bank Ltd.

Political Career

Ladoja is described as a seasoned politician, businessman, and statesman. He was a Senator, Oyo South (1992–1993) during the short-lived Third Republic. He was also the Governor of Oyo State (2003–2007) under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

On January 12, 2006, Ladoja was impeached by Oyo State legislators and forced out of office. His deputy, Adebayo Alao-Akala (now late), was sworn in as the new governor.

On November 1, 2006, the Appeal Court in Ibadan declared the impeachment null and illegal, and the Supreme Court upheld the decision on December 11, 2006. With his reinstatement, Rashidi officially resumed office on December 12, 2006, to complete his term. He, however, failed to win the PDP nomination for a return to office second term and backed the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Senator Abiola Ajimobi, in the 2007 election

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He remained active in politics after leaving office, contesting again in 2011 and 2015 under the Accord Party before rejoining the PDP and briefly aligning with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). His persistence and influence earned him respect across Nigeria’s political landscape.

Personal Life and Family

Oba Rashidi Ladoja was born into a respected Ibadan family. His father, Alhaji Aruna Ladoja, was a successful cocoa trader, and his mother, Alhaja Haleemat Ladoja, was a well-known community leader celebrated for her philanthropy and dedication to grassroots development.

The monarch is married to Alhaja Mutiat Olayinka Ladoja, who has been a strong partner in both his political and traditional journey. She is actively engaged in community and social development projects, often representing the family at public functions.

Together, they are blessed with six children — Kamorudeen, Bashirat, Omotola, Adetokunbo, Azeez, and Rasheed — many of whom are pursuing successful careers while upholding the family’s values of service and leadership.

Though he has been married to his wife, Alhaja Mutiat, for over 42 years, Oba Rashidi is also a well-known polygamist. While Mutiat remains the most visible and influential of his spouses, his other wives have largely stayed away from the public spotlight.

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His Climb to the Olubadan Throne

Unlike many monarchies, Olubadan’s succession to the throne follows a structured chieftaincy ladder. Ladoja began his traditional journey over three decades ago, rising through the ranks from Ajia, Bada, Ashipa, Ekerin, Asipa, and so on, with each title carrying greater responsibility within Ibadan’s traditional administration.

Unlike many other Yoruba monarchies, where succession is hereditary, the Olubadan throne is open to any qualified male indigene of Ibadan, provided he patiently climbs the established chieftaincy ladder. This ladder-based system ensures fairness, stability, and continuity.

Each line is made up of several graded chieftaincy titles, and every aspirant must move step by step through the ranks. Only after decades of steady progression can one reach the pinnacle, the Olubadan throne, the most revered seat in Ibadanland.

The first step for a prospective aspirant is to emerge Mogaji of his family, in what is known as the family head. Then, the struggle begins to emerge as Jagun on either the Otun or Balogun line.

In 2021, Ladoja was formally elevated to the position of Otun Olubadan, the second-in-command to the Olubadan and the highest-ranking chief on the Egbe Agba line. He thus became the most senior of the Ibadan civil chiefs, which placed him next in line to become the Olubadan.

Having passed through nearly all 22 steps, Ladoja, as the Otun Olubadan, had just one final step to take. When asked what he would do if he became Olubadan, Ladoja had said:

Leadership, to me, has always been about service, not status. If it is the will of God that I become Olubadan, I will serve with all my heart.

In 2017, Ladoja famously went to court to defend the integrity of Ibadan’s monarchy after a controversial attempt to crown multiple kings. His victory preserved the city’s unique royal tradition. After the legal victory, he explained that:

I only want to adorn one crown, and that is the Olubadan crown.

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Oba Rashidi Ladoja’s royal journey began on October 1, 1993, when he was installed as Jagun Olubadan. Over the next 32 years, he patiently rose through every stage of the hierarchy until he finally reached the pinnacle as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.

His ascension in September 2025, just a day after his 81st birthday, makes him one of the oldest but also most prepared monarchs in Ibadan’s history.

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