At the Trans Amusement Park in Ibadan, the venue of the Governor’s 60th birthday reception, Bola Davies led the Ibadan Bureau of City People Magazine to the event. Not only did we appear at our best, but we also chose a vantage location where we could observe and note the happenings at the party. Upon arrival, the celebrant took the time to acknowledge the guests. As he approached us with his Chief Media Officer, Adeola Oloko closely following, I noticed his eyes were bloodshot, apparently from inadequate sleep. With a beaming smile, he stretched his hand, and after a handshake with Ms. Davies, it was my turn. As I shook hands with him, the CMO said, “These are our friends from City People”. With an even broader smile, the celebrant said, “Ah, who doesn’t know them? Who doesn’t know them?” That was how simple Governor Rashidi Ladoja was, as the Governor of Oyo State. It was at that reception that I heard that he had earlier said that after his tenure as Governor, he would await his turn to become the Olubadan.
We took our seats shortly after the handshake, and I reflected on the first encounter with the celebrant; it was one that my Bureau Chief hadn’t heard of. It happened that on a certain day, shortly after I joined City People, I got a phone call. The number was not one I was conversant with, but I answered the call all the same. Those were not the days when people ignored calls; as new mobile phone owners, we eagerly awaited calls. The voice at the other end was straight to the point; “Hello, Wole, good morning. My name is Steve Oliyide”. I knew that was the Political Editor. “Good morning, sir,” I replied. After confirming that I was in Ibadan, he delivered a shocker, “You are going to interview Senator Rashidi Ladoja”. As if he read my mind, he said meet me at his house in the next two hours”. Off I went to Ondo Street, which was already a beehive of activities as Senator Ladoja had just been declared the winner of the 2003 governorship election a few days earlier. My journey into journalism started during the build-up to the elections, and I had to attend quite a number of rallies then.
Quite a lot happened while I sat in the waiting room expecting the arrival of Mr. Steve (as he was fondly called in the office). One of those memorable events was the arrival of a female Fuji musician who had sung at the rally of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), which fielded Senator Ladoja’s opponent, Alhaji Lam Adesina.
She infamously dissed members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which had Ladoja as its candidate then. Reference was particularly made to her song, “Adesina fẹ g’ẹṣin, bi o gun Ladoja yio gun Adedibu” (Adesina wants to have a horse ride. If he doesn’t ride Ladoja, he will ride Adedibu). Just as she was about to be taken inside, someone motioned for the person leading her to stop. Then the person regaled her undoing, and before long, without recourse to the Governor-elect, a conclusion was reached by the supporters at the waiting room; the lady in question should go and set up her instruments at Mapo Hall and start singing that Adesina was no longer going on a horse ride! Her kneeling posture and tears did not avail much as she was told that her access to Senator Ladoja was what she had already been told.
By the time Mr. Oliyide came, the Governor-elect was on his way out. He apologised and told him of the urgency of the meeting he needed to attend, and asked that the interview be rescheduled. Mr. Oliyide left as the Political Editor not so long after that. The Ibadan Office, however, maintained a chummy relationship with Agodi and Mr. Oloko; like the Chief Press Secretaries before him, he was more of a brother with whom we could relate.
Saying Senator Ladoja faced many battles would be like stating the already obvious, but true to the words of Will Rogers, the former Governor was able to prove that “the best way out of a difficulty is through it”. He never flinched in the face of adversity, and his battles were always fought with the due process of law. As a young journalist, I sometimes mistook his calmness for being too slow. I would later realise that as an Engineer, he is not so much of a talker but a thinker, and at that time, he was simply being calculative.
Before the infamous scenario in which a chieftain of the National Union of Road Transport Workers sat on the Chair of the Honourable Speaker and pronounced the Governor’s impeachment, proudly displaying his smattering of knowledge of the English language, there had been internal squabbles. At one time, the Governor’s shoes mysteriously grew legs and inexplicably disappeared from the office! Having enemies within to handle and rivals to keep in check was a task, but as Governor, Ladoja was never overwhelmed. He never allowed his official duties to suffer.
On a certain day, too, his convoy was waylaid when he took a less fancied road to Abeokuta. How they knew he would use that road remains a mystery. And for almost an hour, the ambushers, who came in buses, blocked the way, sang abusive songs, and danced gleefully. The Governor seemed unperturbed; even when one of the Special Advisers asked whether the security details should discharge their firearms, the Governor declined to give that order. Patiently, the convoy waited for a Police team that eventually dispersed the “protesters”.
Two accidents involved the Governor’s convoy at that time. Both proved fatal, and at that time, tongues wagged as to whether there were spiritual undertones or whether “Wolu Oosha” was the actual target, especially as the Governor was seen as fighting everyone close to his then estranged godfather.
His impeachment was a lesson, a lesson of patience for his supporters and opponents alike. He didn’t leave the party; he only explored legal ways of seeking redress, and he was reinstated, making him the first Governor to be impeached and so reinstated in the history of Oyo State. And after that, he requested a report of the activities that took place within the 11 months he was away. It was around that time that many got to know how buoyant Oyo State was. People had thought Otunba Alao-Akala would be done away with as the Number two man, but his office was only relocated to another part of the State Secretariat. This led people to conclude that Senator Ladoja carefully considers his steps.
While other parties were waiting for him to jump ship and become their gubernatorial standard-bearer in the 2007 election, he stood with the PDP. The cameras focused on him right after the party’s flag was handed over to his Deputy at the South West rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akure. Many people had thought a disaster would follow, but not only did he pass that significant test, he managed the situation.
Senator Ladoja has stated at different times that the impeachment was actually not orchestrated by the Strongman of Ibadan Politics, High Chief Lamidi Adedibu, as widely believed, but by the then President for reasons bordering on tenure elongation, among other things. Of course, Baba Adedibu at a point narrated a conversation between Chief Obasanjo and Senator Ladoja, in which the latter reportedly told the former President blatantly that “mi o le lo ewon, sir” (I will not be imprisoned, sir). Chief Obasanjo had, in return, informed Baba that “Rashidi’s Lagos friends were misguiding him”.
Though there was no financial chaos in his time as Governor, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission came and after years of legal tussle, he was acquitted of N 4.7 billion fraud charges brought against him; thus keeping his records unblemished.
And then came the obaship matter, which he challenged in court. Gifts that were meant for him were confiscated by people he thought would reason with him. Being left alone in the fight was not enough to deter him. He only made a detour after power changed hands, and due process was followed. At the coronation of the immediate past Olubadan, copies of a government gazette were inserted in the programme of events for guests. While it looked like a warning signal, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja (as he then was) knew what to do. And in his typically analytic manner, he took the necessary steps, paving the way for his ascension.
Oba Ladoja’s journey to the throne again brings Olubadan Adetunji Aje Ogungunniso’s acceptance speech to mind. He said “oye Oba Ibadan, won I duu, eni emi e bas i gun nii de ‘be” (the obaship position of Ibadan is not one that is contested for, and only a person that lives long gets there). The new Olubadan is indeed blessed. A rare video of Oba Saiu Adetunji praying that he would sit on the exalted throne emerged shortly after the demise of the immediate past Olubadan. Not only have the blessings come to pass, Ladoja’s middle name, “Adewolu,” has also proved to be symbolic. He was outside Ibadan when his predecessor passed on, and by the time he came back home, it was as Olubadan designate; the crown indeed entered the city.
One of his distinguishing features is his modesty in spite of his wealth; he shuns ostentatiousness and entitlement. Though strongly opinionated even at times to the point of obstinacy, listening to people has been one of Oba Ladoja’s areas of strength. He takes time to listen, even to what is not being said! He listens to speeches, reads body language, and studies the actions of people. He is a man who will listen to you no matter how stupid you sound.
And now that he is the Olubadan, not only has he become a father to all, even his detractors and those who tried to prevent his ascension to the throne will pay homage and hail him as Kabiyesi. Truly, when the squirrel climbs the Iroko, the hunter can only gaze in bewilderment. Coming a day after his 81st birthday, the coronation, which is an answered prayer, is about the best birthday gift the new Olubadan can have.
With his status as the first Senator and former Governor to ascend the exalted throne, he has joined the history-making rulers of Ibadan, like Oluyedun, son of Afonja of Ilorin, who was the first to rule Ibadan as Aare Ona Kakanfo, Iba Oluyole, who ruled Ibadan as its first Basorun, Oba Okunola Abaasi, who first bore the Olubadan title, Oba Isaac Babalola Akinyele, the first Christian and first educated Olubadan, as well as Oba Daniel Tayo Akinbiyi, the first Olubadan to wear a crown.
The show of love since the announcement of his status as the Olubadan designate till the coronation day only points in one direction, his ascension is in line with the motto of Ibadan Boys’ High School, his alma mater, “Domini Opera Pro Bono Publico”, it is the work of the LORD for the people’s good.
Congratulations, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Akanmu Ladoja. Long live the king!
Adejumo sent this piece from Ibadan.
