I found it difficult to understand the reasons why some of us are refusing to come to terms with the fact that the man who sits on the throne of Ibadan today, is not just an ordinary man.
He is a dynamic personality.
Much more, I found it difficult to understand that people are not looking at the fact that the present Olubadan of Ibadan Land is a man of many characters rolled into one.
I am curious, is there a way of removing Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, born and named by his parents, from the man presently known as His Imperial Majesty, Oba Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, former Senator and Governor of Oyo state?
As a successful Business man, Ladoja entered into politics at a time Nigeria was breaking away from a long period of Military incursion into our Democracy.
He became a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the then Social Democratic Party, SDP, the political platform, under which the late MKO Abiola contested and won election as president of Nigeria.
We all know what later became of that election.
What I am trying to say here is that Ladoja as a politician is a man who played politics alongside prominent figures who have held and are still holding key positions in Nigeria today.
He later became the Governor of Oyo state in 2003 and was able to survive an impeachment as a Governor.
This is a man who played politics with the likes of the present president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He is a friend of the Turaki Adamawa , the former Vice president Atiku Abubakar, since their days in the SDP.
He is a friend and colleague of the former Senate President, Iyorchia Ayu and many prominent politicians too numerous to mention.
I have been seeing a lot of attacks and criticisms directed at Oba Ladoja recently.
Some hypocrites are accusing him of being partisan.
Honestly, sometimes, I don’t envy the Olubadan and I will tell you why.
Since he became the Olubadan of Ibadan Land, I have lost count of the number of politicians who are seeking elective offices in and out of Oyo who visited him just to take pictures with him.
At a point and even until now, flaunting the pictures taken with Ladoja has become a vogue.
You people have been visiting him, taking pictures and flaunting those pictures everywhere.
Why were you doing that?
Human beings could be irritatingly unrealistic.
You know there is something in this man.
You want to be associated with him for certain personal reasons, even though, many of you don’t love the man but you just must be seen with him when it matters!
Now, this is where I have a lot of issues with those who have been criticizing Oba Ladoja recently.
You are saying he is an Oba and he should steer clear of politics, are you saying Ladoja should run away from his Palace until after the 2027 general election or you’re saying he shouldn’t have been receiving you when you came for your routine photography sessions?
In my place, in Ibarapa, we have a saying that when people loses out in a struggle, that is when they realize that nothing last forever. ( Bi owo Ibarapa o ba ba ijagudu, a ni ko si ohun to ndun ti kii tan).
In 2027, only one person would be elected as Governor of Oyo state and only God Almighty ordains Leaders.
I think people should be fair on the Olubadan.
Are we saying that a visit to a long time friend has become a criminal offense, just because one is the Olubadan and the other is the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?
Are we also saying that Senator Sarafadeen Abiodun Ali shouldn’t have been aspiring to be the Governor of Oyo state because of his relationship with Ladoja?
The way some people have been hurling accusations at the Olubadan, you would think that the Monarch is the state Chairman of a political party.
The bitter truth here, is that, there is something in Ladoja which everyone wants- support.
Assuming he even wants to give it, he could only give one person.
In Ladoja’s shoes, I wonder what anyone would have done differently.
I have never heard him spoken publicly about his preferences for any political office.
No one have said that he attended any political meetings. It’s you people, who would not let him breathe, yet, you’re still the ones accusing him of partisanship!
Are you now accusing him of opening his doors to receive you when you came calling or what?
Ladoja has a Destiny to fulfill.
He can’t run away from his Destiny.
Whatever he is today, whatever is in him, which attracts love, deference and recognition, they are not his doing.
No one should also not expect him to abandon his friends of many years because of the hypocrisy of some individuals.
If Destiny has it that Sarafadeen Alli would aspire to be the Governor of Oyo state at a time Ladoja is destined to be the Olubadan of Ibadan Land, so be it.
Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja is a very unique person.
He is a dynamic Monarch.
Ladoja, the successful Business man, Ladoja, the politician who was once a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a Governor and His Imperial Majesty, Oba Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja are rolled into one.
Who will remove one from the others?