Tradition, when it is well tended, does not grow old. It grows deeper. That was the spirit on display at the Banquet Hall of the Olubadan Palace, Oke-Aremo, Ibadan, as His Imperial Majesty, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, Arusa 1, installed four new Mogajis into the leadership structure of Ibadanland.
The installation of Messrs Olusegun Emmanuel Ogunyemi of Ogunwelu Compound, Oke Adu in Ibadan Northeast Local Government; Akeem Olalekan Alade of Oju-Abere Compound, replacing the late Jagun Gbade Isola, former National Secretary, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Inalende, Ibadan Northwest Local Government. Jagun Gbade Isola took over from me as the National Secretary of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes in 2005 when I declined further service in that capacity as the responsibilities of that office were about to affect my productivity at the the University of Ibadan and I took another another responsibility as the Ist Assistant National Secretary with Biodun Obisesan as the 2nd Assistant National Secretary, reporting to the then Mogaji Gbade Isola, who was later promoted Jagun Olubadan; and he served under Governor Adebayo Alao Akala in his media team before his death Jagun Gbade Isola was one of the sound journalists and administrators Ibadan has produced; Aderinto Adesoji of Sangodeyi Ikuola Compound, Idi Arere in Ibadan Southwest Local Government; and Adewale Idowu Akanmu Abonde of Abonde Compound in Ibadan Northeast Local Government is more than a ceremonial exercise. In Ibadan, a Mogaji is not just a family head. He is the first line of governance, the custodian of lineage values and the bridge between the palace and the people at the grassroots.
In the message delivered on behalf of Olubadan Ladoja by the Ekerin Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Akeem Mobolaji Adewoyin, Olubadan Ladoja made the purpose of the stool abundantly clear. He congratulated the new Mogajis, but he also cautioned them. They are to be ambassadors of the Olubadan and of Ibadanland wherever they are found. They must resist land grabbing, hatred, vendetta, drug abuse and corruption. They will be held responsible for what happens within their domains.
ALSO READ: PHOTOS: Tinubu Receives Olubadan, Other Oyo Traditional Leaders in Abuja
That is a timely reminder. At a time when disputes over land and family property are tearing communities apart and when social vices are threatening our youth, the palace is saying what must be said: leadership is accountability. A crown, even one worn at the compound level, comes with duties.
Olubadan Ladoja also used the occasion to call on all traditional rulers in Ibadanland to preserve and promote our cultural heritage. That charge is important because culture is what holds us together. It is in our chieftaincy titles, in our modes of dispute resolution, in the way we welcome strangers and in the way we settle matters without always running to the courts. When Mogajis, Baales and chiefs uphold these values, Ibadan remains orderly, proud and united.
The presence of senior members of the Olubadan-in-Council at the ceremony, including the Otun Olubadan, Oba Eddy Oyewole, the Otun Balogun, Oba Kolawole Adegbola, the Ashipa, Oba Salawudeen Ajibade, the Ashipa Balogun, Oba Dauda Azees and the Ekarun Balogun, Oba Sharafadeen Alli, underscores the seriousness with which the palace regards this tier of leadership. The attendance of representatives of the Iyalode Line, Mogajis and Baales further shows that this is a collective project.
For the four new Mogajis, the task ahead is clear. They must be fathers to their compounds. They must settle disputes fairly. They must mentor young people away from drugs and crime. They must protect communal land and ensure it is used for the benefit of the family, not for personal gain. And they must key into the Olubadan’s vision of taking Ibadanland to greater heights.
At The Progressive Forum, Ibadan (TPFI), we commend Olubadan Ladoja for this installation and for the clarity of his charge. We also congratulate the new Mogajis. The people of Ogunwelu, Oju-Abere, Sangodeyi Ikuola and Abonde compounds have entrusted you with their name and their peace. Do not betray that trust.
Ibadan has survived for centuries because its institutions adapt without losing their soul. The installation of Mogajis is one of those institutions. When it is done with integrity, it strengthens families, strengthens communities and ultimately strengthens Ibadanland.
May your reigns bring unity to your compounds, honour to the Olubadan stool and progress to Ibadanland.
Tunji Oladejo, mnipr, JP, MANUPA, mspsp, writes from the University of Ibadan, is the Chairman of The Progressive Forum, Ibadan (TPFI); and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Bayo and Bimpe Oyero Foundation (BBOF) and the 2026 Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) Icon of Ibadan Heritage Awardee via oladejo65@gmail.com. 08077284442
