As Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja marked his 82nd birthday on Friday, September 25, followed by the first anniversary of his coronation as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland on Saturday, September 26, the conspicuous absence of public congratulatory messages from some prominent Oyo political figures has continued to generate questions across the state.
Among those whose silence has attracted attention are Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde; former Senate Leader and APC chieftain, Senator Teslim Folarin; and former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, who are all prominent figures in Oyo politics with different historical connections to the Olubadan institution.
Also attracting attention is the absence, in publicly available official channels searched for this report, of a congratulatory message from the Oyo State Government on behalf of the people of the state to mark the monarch’s two significant milestones.
The development has become a subject of discussion in political and traditional circles, particularly because Ladoja is not only the Olubadan but a former governor, former senator and one of the most influential figures in the political history of the state.
Interestingly, the monarch himself had asked that the twin occasions should not become elaborate celebrations.
Also attracting attention is the absence, in publicly available official channels searched for this report, of a congratulatory message from the Oyo State Government on behalf of the people of the state to mark the monarch’s two significant milestones.
The development has become a subject of discussion in political and traditional circles, particularly because Ladoja is not only the Olubadan but a former governor, former senator and one of the most influential figures in the political history of the state.
Interestingly, the monarch himself had asked that the twin occasions should not become elaborate celebrations.
In a statement issued through his media aide, Chief Adeola Oloko, Ladoja urged his friends, supporters and the people of Ibadan to devote the occasions to thanksgiving, prayers and extending generosity to people in difficult circumstances.
That position, however, has not stopped the absence of messages from prominent political figures from becoming a talking point, especially in a state where birthday greetings and anniversary felicitations involving major political actors frequently carry symbolic significance.
Makinde-Ladoja: From Political Alliance To Fresh Tension
Makinde and Ladoja have a long political history that has passed through alliance, disagreement and reconciliation.
Ahead of the 2019 governorship election, Ladoja played a significant role in the coalition that eventually backed Makinde.
It’s an open secret within the state’s political circle that Ladoja, along with other opposition leaders, helped persuade major political actors to support Makinde against the then ruling APC candidate, Adebayo Adelabu.
The relationship later changed dramatically. By the 2023 governorship election, Ladoja supported APC candidate Teslim Folarin, putting him on the opposite side of Makinde, who was seeking re-election on the PDP platform.
The relationship subsequently improved as Ladoja’s journey towards the Olubadan throne gathered momentum.
The relationship later changed dramatically. By the 2023 governorship election, Ladoja supported APC candidate Teslim Folarin, putting him on the opposite side of Makinde, who was seeking re-election on the PDP platform.
The relationship subsequently improved as Ladoja’s journey towards the Olubadan throne gathered momentum.
In 2024, Ladoja withdrew his court action concerning the controversial elevation of some Ibadan chiefs, clearing the way for the smooth enthronement of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin.
The development was widely viewed as part of a broader reconciliation involving the traditional institution and the state government.
Indeed, the Oyo State Government itself formally presented Ladoja with his staff of office after his elevation to the rank of a beaded-crown-wearing Oba in April 2024.
At that ceremony, the government described the development as an end to the controversies surrounding the issue. Ladoja, in turn, thanked Makinde and the state government for their efforts toward peace in Ibadanland.
Yet, by April 2026, fresh reports of tension between Makinde and the Olubadan had emerged.
Ibadan elders intervened, with the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, saying there was no problem between the governor and the monarch while urging Ladoja to remain above partisan politics.
Yet, by April 2026, fresh reports of tension between Makinde and the Olubadan had emerged.
Ibadan elders intervened, with the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, saying there was no problem between the governor and the monarch while urging Ladoja to remain above partisan politics.
The Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) subsequently said the issues between the two men had been amicably resolved through dialogue and traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms.
Against that background, the absence of a public birthday or coronation anniversary message from Makinde has inevitably revived questions about the current state of their relationship.
Folarin’s Own Place In The Olubadan Structure
Senator Teslim Folarin’s case is particularly striking because his relationship with the Olubadan institution is not merely political.
Folarin is himself a senior chief in the Olubadan succession system. In November 2025, Ladoja elevated the former Senate Leader from Aare Alaasa Olubadan to Agbaakin Olubadan of Ibadanland. The elevation was reported by The Guardian, The Nation and other major media organisations.
Folarin was also the APC governorship candidate in the 2023 election and remains a major figure in the party’s preparations for 2027. At his elevation ceremony, he declared that the APC was prepared to work together to reclaim Oyo State in the 2027 election.
His political standing therefore intersects directly with the unfolding 2027 contest.
That makes his silence over Ladoja’s 82nd birthday and first anniversary on the throne particularly noticeable to observers, given that the Olubadan himself presides over the traditional structure in which Folarin holds a senior position.
Where Adelabu Comes In
Chief Adebayo Adelabu also occupies a distinctive position in the Ibadan political and traditional landscape.
The former minister and two-time APC governorship aspirant is the Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland, a title conferred on him by the then Olubadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade, in 2012.
Adelabu was also one of the principal contestants for the APC governorship ticket in the process that eventually produced Senator Sharafadeen Alli as the party’s 2027 candidate.
That political history becomes relevant because Ladoja has recently been visibly associated with Alli’s progression within the Olubadan traditional hierarchy.
In September 2026, Ladoja elevated Alli from Ekarun Balogun to Ekerin Balogun of Ibadanland. Alli, who is the APC’s 2027 governorship candidate, was away in the Holy Land performing Umrah when the elevation took place.
Alli Factor Enters The Conversation
It is the convergence of traditional authority with the approaching 2027 election that appears to be at the heart of much of the speculation surrounding Ladoja’s relationship with some Oyo political actors.
Ladoja’s public association with Alli has become increasingly visible. The Olubadan not only elevated him within the Balogun line but has continued to play a prominent traditional role around his progression.
Alli’s emergence as APC governorship candidate also places him in direct competition with political interests across the state’s political spectrum.
Some political observers have consequently interpreted Ladoja’s treatment of Alli as evidence that the monarch is favourably disposed towards the senator’s 2027 ambition, while others have questioned whether a traditional ruler should be perceived as taking sides in an active partisan contest.
That debate intensified in April when the Balogun of Ibadanland publicly urged Ladoja to stay away from partisan politics and preserve the neutrality of the traditional institution.
There have also been reports and political statements alleging that some actors within the Oyo APC are uncomfortable with Ladoja’s perceived closeness to Alli.
Against that background, the absence of a public birthday or coronation anniversary message from Makinde has inevitably revived questions about the current state of their relationship.
Folarin’s Own Place In The Olubadan Structure
Senator Teslim Folarin’s case is particularly striking because his relationship with the Olubadan institution is not merely political.
Folarin is himself a senior chief in the Olubadan succession system. In November 2025, Ladoja elevated the former Senate Leader from Aare Alaasa Olubadan to Agbaakin Olubadan of Ibadanland. The elevation was reported by The Guardian, The Nation and other major media organisations.
Folarin was also the APC governorship candidate in the 2023 election and remains a major figure in the party’s preparations for 2027. At his elevation ceremony, he declared that the APC was prepared to work together to reclaim Oyo State in the 2027 election.
His political standing therefore intersects directly with the unfolding 2027 contest.
That makes his silence over Ladoja’s 82nd birthday and first anniversary on the throne particularly noticeable to observers, given that the Olubadan himself presides over the traditional structure in which Folarin holds a senior position.
Where Adelabu Comes In
Chief Adebayo Adelabu also occupies a distinctive position in the Ibadan political and traditional landscape.
The former minister and two-time APC governorship aspirant is the Agbaakin Parakoyi of Ibadanland, a title conferred on him by the then Olubadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade, in 2012.
Adelabu was also one of the principal contestants for the APC governorship ticket in the process that eventually produced Senator Sharafadeen Alli as the party’s 2027 candidate.
That political history becomes relevant because Ladoja has recently been visibly associated with Alli’s progression within the Olubadan traditional hierarchy.
In September 2026, Ladoja elevated Alli from Ekarun Balogun to Ekerin Balogun of Ibadanland. Alli, who is the APC’s 2027 governorship candidate, was away in the Holy Land performing Umrah when the elevation took place.
Alli Factor Enters The Conversation
It is the convergence of traditional authority with the approaching 2027 election that appears to be at the heart of much of the speculation surrounding Ladoja’s relationship with some Oyo political actors.
Ladoja’s public association with Alli has become increasingly visible. The Olubadan not only elevated him within the Balogun line but has continued to play a prominent traditional role around his progression.
Alli’s emergence as APC governorship candidate also places him in direct competition with political interests across the state’s political spectrum.
Some political observers have consequently interpreted Ladoja’s treatment of Alli as evidence that the monarch is favourably disposed towards the senator’s 2027 ambition, while others have questioned whether a traditional ruler should be perceived as taking sides in an active partisan contest.
That debate intensified in April when the Balogun of Ibadanland publicly urged Ladoja to stay away from partisan politics and preserve the neutrality of the traditional institution.
There have also been reports and political statements alleging that some actors within the Oyo APC are uncomfortable with Ladoja’s perceived closeness to Alli.
Why The Silence Matters
For supporters of Ladoja, the question is straightforward: why would a sitting governor, senior APC chieftains and prominent Ibadan chiefs fail to publicly acknowledge the birthday and first coronation anniversary of the occupant of the city’s most revered traditional stool?
For others, the answer may lie in the complicated political circumstances surrounding the Olubadan, the APC’s 2027 calculations and the question of whether the traditional institution should remain completely detached from partisan politics.
Yet there is another dimension. Ladoja deliberately chose a low-key observance. He did not demand elaborate celebrations and specifically asked his friends and well-wishers to channel their generosity towards vulnerable people rather than organise festivities.
Consequently, the absence of public celebration should not by itself be interpreted as evidence of hostility.
What makes the current situation unusual is not the scale of celebration but the identity of those whose public silence has become noticeable.
A Political Signal Or Mere Coincidence?
As Oyo State gradually moves deeper into the 2027 political cycle, the silence surrounding Ladoja’s twin milestones has acquired a significance beyond an ordinary birthday.
Makinde and Ladoja have already demonstrated that their political relationship can move from alliance to confrontation and back to reconciliation.
Folarin and Adelabu, meanwhile, are senior APC figures whose political histories are closely tied to both Ibadan and the 2027 struggle, while Folarin is additionally a senior chief in the Olubadan line.
Ladoja’s recent elevation of Alli has added another layer to the political conversation.
For supporters of Ladoja, the question is straightforward: why would a sitting governor, senior APC chieftains and prominent Ibadan chiefs fail to publicly acknowledge the birthday and first coronation anniversary of the occupant of the city’s most revered traditional stool?
For others, the answer may lie in the complicated political circumstances surrounding the Olubadan, the APC’s 2027 calculations and the question of whether the traditional institution should remain completely detached from partisan politics.
Yet there is another dimension. Ladoja deliberately chose a low-key observance. He did not demand elaborate celebrations and specifically asked his friends and well-wishers to channel their generosity towards vulnerable people rather than organise festivities.
Consequently, the absence of public celebration should not by itself be interpreted as evidence of hostility.
What makes the current situation unusual is not the scale of celebration but the identity of those whose public silence has become noticeable.
A Political Signal Or Mere Coincidence?
As Oyo State gradually moves deeper into the 2027 political cycle, the silence surrounding Ladoja’s twin milestones has acquired a significance beyond an ordinary birthday.
Makinde and Ladoja have already demonstrated that their political relationship can move from alliance to confrontation and back to reconciliation.
Folarin and Adelabu, meanwhile, are senior APC figures whose political histories are closely tied to both Ibadan and the 2027 struggle, while Folarin is additionally a senior chief in the Olubadan line.
Ladoja’s recent elevation of Alli has added another layer to the political conversation.
Whether the latest absence of congratulatory messages is simply coincidence, a consequence of personal relationships, a reflection of political disagreements or an indication of deeper realignment remains a matter for the individuals concerned to clarify.
For now, what is beyond dispute is that Oba Rashidi Ladoja has turned 82 and completed his first year on the throne, while the silence of some of Oyo’s most prominent political figures has created a fresh talking point in a state already preparing for a fiercely watched 2027 political season.
For now, what is beyond dispute is that Oba Rashidi Ladoja has turned 82 and completed his first year on the throne, while the silence of some of Oyo’s most prominent political figures has created a fresh talking point in a state already preparing for a fiercely watched 2027 political season.
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