OLUBADAN CHIEFTAINCY REVIEW: The Monarchy, the Governor and the court: Which way, Ibadan?

A gruesome bloodbath was averted by a hairbreadth on Monday in the ancient town of Ibadan, during the installation rituals and ceremony that crowned four Baales (local heads of communities) by the 41st Olubadan of Ibadan, His Royal Highness, Oba Saliu Adetunji.

The fearful incident which occurred at the Palace in Popo-Yemoja, Ibadan, is still the subject of apprehension, anger and debate in traditional and political circles in the Oyo state capital as you read this.

Amongst the lucky souls who faced the fierce muzzles of dangerous riffles wielded by the invaders and who lived to tell the story were three journalists who were at the palace to record the event, and a former Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Chief Sharrafaden Ali and top traditional and political bigwigs.

These include traditional chiefs, gaily dressed society elites as well as ordinary attendees – all of whom escaped by a hairbreadth.

“So this is how people just die unexpectedly!”, a top Alhaja who screamed at our correspondent not to reveal her name, said, still smarting from the encounter.

Her breath quickened as she recalled how the men swooped down at the palace and started firing in the air. “All I could do was just, hold my mouth and close my eyes tightly; I could not even breathe. I taught the end has come.

Somebody running for life knocked me and the chair I was sitting over – and that was when I opened my eyes to see bullets flying in all directions.

“It was like those Yoruba films we watch on television. Some of our chiefs, even the baales in their ceremonial attires ran like children; my heart stopped beating for a long moment.

Only Olodumare, my God and Father in heaven said our bloods will not be spilled like chicken, otherwise, you will not be talking to a living Alhaja today,” she panted.

“When that black Sienna suddenly drove into the palace just before noon, and gunmen jumped out and started shooting, my first thought was that kidnappers have come to take important personalities away,” one of the local chiefs whose installation was temporarily aborted told The Daily Times.

“But when they started abusing us and saying certain things as they were shooting and threatening, I took knowledge that they were on a mission to disrupt the ceremony.

“For example, the Asaaju Balogun of Ibadan land who was a former Secretary to the State Government was sitting in his Toyota Land cruiser jeep when they came and started shooting,

but although they destroyed the windscreen of the jeep, they didn’t shoot directly at him: they could have killed him right there and then, but they did not, and that is why I suspect they were acting on instruction from wherever.”

The new chief said although many people – including journalists sustained injuries during the shootings, no one was killed, giving credence again to his allegation of a well instructed hit team of gunmen.

“They dared the Oba and dignitaries inside to come out if they are men. It was obvious that anything could have happened if anyone had dared them, but thank God that they left without taking a life.”

It would be recalled that the Olubadan Chieftaincy Review had been a subject of protracted crises in recent times. The latest feud, The Daily Times gathered, is between the Olubadan and the incumbent Governor of the state, Abiola Ajimobi.

A Palace source told our correspondent that the invasion is an ugly development. “We are not comfortable with this at all.

If gunmen can be sent to brandish guns and disrupt legitimate traditional ceremonies like this in broad daylight, then gangsterism has come into the traditional hierarchy of Ibadan land.

“We are not going to take this lightly; Kabiesi, the Olubadan of Ibadan, HRH, Oba Saliu Adetunji will not be treated like this in our time.

We, the chieftaincy custodians know the root of this insult and we are taking it up with higher traditional authorities. This cannot happen and go unaddressed,” he said tensely.

The Chieftaincy Review issue which is now the subject of litigation is seen as a dangerous trend in the ancient Ibadan traditional circle, if it cannot be settled out of court and resolved very quickly.

“One cannot divorce the incident of Monday from the case filed last week by the Olubadan. Kabiyesi is challenging Gov Ajimobi over the unacceptable institution of the chieftaincy review on Ibadan land.

It has not happened before, and it will not happen in our life time – and the sooner authorities realise that, the healthier it is for our generation,” the chief said.

It is hoped that wisdom will divorce self ambition from traditional institution so the people of Ibadan land will see a peaceful continuity of the throne of The Olubadan of Ibadan land.