Former Governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, is set to become the new Olubadan of Ibadanland following the demise of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin.
Naijaonpoint reported that Oba Olakulehin passed away on Monday, July 7, at the age of 90, just about one year after he ascended the throne.
Following his death, a new Olubadan is expected to emerge in the coming days based on the rotational succession system, which alternates the Olubadan stool between the two ruling lines: Egbe Agba (civil) and Balogun (military).
With the late Olakulehin ascending from the Balogun line, the next monarch is expected from the Egbe Agba line, where Ladoja is currently the most senior High Chief.
Below are ten things you should know about Ladoja
1. Ladoja was born on 25 September 1944 and attended Ibadan Boys High School from 1958 to 1963 and Olivet Baptist High School from 1964 to 1965.
2. He studied at the University of Liège, Belgium (1966–1972), where he earned a degree in chemical engineering. He later obtained a job with Total Nigeria, where he worked in various positions for 13 years before entering private business in 1985.
3. He was elected to the Nigerian Senate in 1993 during the short-lived Nigerian Third Republic. He was a member of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) during the Abacha Political Transition.
4. Ladoja was elected governor of Oyo State in April 2003 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and took office on May 29, 2003.
5. On 12 January 2006, Ladoja was impeached by Oyo State legislators and forced out of office. His deputy, Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, was sworn in as the new governor.
6. On 1 November 2006, the Appeal Court in the state capital, Ibadan, declared the impeachment null and illegal. Similarly, the Supreme Court upheld the decision on November 11, 2006, and Ladajo officially resumed office on December 12, 2006.
7. On 28 August 2008, Ladoja was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of non-remittance of the proceeds of the sale of government shares totalling ₦1.9 billion during his administration. He was briefly remanded in prison by the Federal High Court in Lagos on 30 August 2008.
8. In March 2009, a former aide testified about how the share of money had been divided among Ladoja’s family, bodyguard, senior politicians, and lawyers.
9. Ladoja was the governorship candidate for the Accord party in Oyo State during the April 2011 and 2015 elections but lost to Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
10. He became an Oba after he received a ceremonial beaded crown from the reigning Olubadan and the Government of Oyo State in August 2024.