Preparations are in top gear in Ibadan ahead of the coronation of the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, scheduled for Friday, September 26, 2025.
The Oyo State Government has assured of its readiness to host the historic event, with security beefed up as President Bola Tinubu and other dignitaries are expected. The President’s advance team arrived in Ibadan on Wednesday.
Oba Ladoja, who is currently observing traditional rites in seclusion, will receive his staff and instrument of office at Mapo Hall, the historic venue for successive Olubadan coronations. The 81-year-old monarch succeeds Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, who passed on July 7, 2025.
Meanwhile, the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Ibadan, reopened temporarily for the event, receiving its first flight in six months on Wednesday. Hotels across the city have been fully booked as visitors flood the ancient city.
At a coronation lecture, renowned historian Prof. Toyin Falola urged Ibadan leaders to balance tradition with modernity, highlighting Ladoja’s political and administrative experience as an asset for the city’s growth.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also congratulated the new monarch, advising him to separate politics from traditional rulership while praying for wisdom and humility in his reign.
