Following the passing of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who spent less than a year on the throne, former Oyo State governor, Rasheed Ladoja, is next in line to become the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.
As tradition demands, the throne now shifts from the Balogun line to the Otun line, where Ladoja is currently the highest-ranking chief.
Here are 10 key things to know about the man who is set to occupy one of the most revered traditional stools in Yorubaland:
1. He is an Ibadan son to the core
Rasheed Ladoja was born on September 24, 1944, in the Gambari area of Ibadan, Oyo State.
2. He has a strong academic background
He attended Ibadan Boys High School (1958–1963) and Olivet Baptist High School (1964–1965). He later proceeded to the University of Liège, Belgium, where he obtained a degree in Chemical Engineering between 1966 and 1972.
3. He was a senator during Nigeria’s third republic
Ladoja was elected to the Nigerian Senate in 1993 as a member of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) during the short-lived Third Republic under General Sani Abacha’s transition programme.
4. He rose to prominence in banking
In 2000, he became a director at Standard Trust Bank Limited, further boosting his profile in both business and politics.
5. He Served as Oyo State Governor from 2003 to 2007
Ladoja was elected as Governor of Oyo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in April 2003, and assumed office on May 29, 2003.
6. He Had a Turbulent Relationship with PDP Strongman Lamidi Adedibu
Although his emergence was backed by the late political godfather, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, their alliance later turned sour. “In August 2004, Ladoja and Adedibu were locked in a fierce struggle over allocation of government appointees,” which weakened his hold on power.
7. He Was Impeached and Later Reinstated
On January 12, 2006, Ladoja was impeached by the State House of Assembly, but the Appeal Court later declared the impeachment null and illegal. The Supreme Court upheld this decision on November 11, 2006, and he resumed office on December 12, 2006.
8. He faced EFCC charges
On August 28, 2008, he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly mismanaging N1.9 billion from the sale of government shares. He was remanded in prison on August 30 but later granted N100 million bail on September 5, 2008.
9. He contested governorship elections multiple times
Ladoja ran for governor again under the Accord Party in 2011 and 2015, but lost both elections to Senator Abiola Ajimobi. In 2018, after defecting to ADC and later ZLP, he took a back seat from politics to focus on traditional duties.
10. He was crowned by the late Olubadan
On August 12, 2024, the late Oba Olakulehin formally presented the ceremonial beaded crown to High Chief Ladoja — a crown he had previously rejected during ex-Governor Ajimobi’s administration.
As he prepares to ascend the throne, Rasheed Ladoja is expected to bring to the Olubadan stool a rare blend of political wisdom, administrative experience, and deep-rooted Ibadan heritage.
