When an Olubadan joins his ancestors, what happens to his princes and princesses?
A post Oba Lekan Balogun future predicts a united front within the royal lineages.
As soon as an Olubadan of Ibadan passes on to go be with the ancestors, the conversation immediately shifts to who his next successor is and when such would be crowned, therefore leaving hardly any room to focus attention on the princes and princesses that are now without a father.
Prince Asawale Oloyede-Asanike is adamant that history would not repeat itself. The city of Ibadan and indeed, Oyo State has just buried Oba Lekan Balogun whose passing on Thursday, 14 March now means Oba Owolabi Olakulehin will be king, although no date has been set yet for the crowning.
A post-Oba Lekan Balogun statement by the prince wants a united future within the royal lineages. And so he has asked the relevant stakeholders, such as the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) and indeed the state officials, to ensure that the children of late monarchs are no longer neglected, especially because they can add value.
The prince is the son of Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike who was the 37th Olubadan of Ibadan, a king who was an active driver in the political metamorphosis of Ibadan as a major south-west Nigerian city.
In this grief, writes Prince Oloyede-Asanike, we must endeavour to honour the departed soul. We are indeed Omo agbotikuyo but let’s give the last respect to the late monarch.
Oba Olakuleyin who is the next king is also our father. I am also wishing him a successful tenure. He’s one of my father’s good products.
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I urge the Oyo state government under the leadership of Engineer Seyi Makinde to make sure that the late Olubadan’s sons and daughters are duly recognised in Ibadan’s affairs as they are sometimes overlooked or forgotten after their father passes away.
The late Oba Balogun died in an astonishing sequence. His council of chiefs had just decided the fate of one of them from the Mogaji Akinsola of Opopo Labiran family compound who had been found wanting nobility.
Following the council’s decision to replace Mogaji Wale Oladoja with a new-nominated member of his family, all that was remaining was for the deceased to sign a document that binds this, but he passed a day before an assigned deadline.
Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.
