OLUBADAN: Succession crisis escalates as high chiefs shun late oba funeral, palace withholds letter

The Olubadan palace authorities have refused to transmit the letter confirming the passage of the late Olubadan Saliu Adetunji to the Olubadan-in-Council, and this is heating up the succession politics.

All the members of the council except Osi Olubadan Rashidi Ladoja, were absent at the burial of the Olubadan on Wednesday.

The absence further aggravated the crisis raging in the council since 2017, when all the council members, except Ladoja, received beaded crowns as obas, and the late Olubadan banned them from entering his palace.

It’s the same division now that pits the Olubadan-elect, Lekan Balogun and his camp in the council against Ladoja and the palace.

The 11-member council will meet Thursday at the Mapo Hall to finalise the succession.

Ladoja’s lawyer and ex-AG Michael Lana wrote a letter Tuesday to Go Seyi Makinde, warning that crowning an already crowned Balogun will lead to legal and traditional crises.

But the council members have dismissed the letter.