WorldStage– Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has inaugurated a debut edition of the rotational Oyo State Council of Obas, with the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja appointed to chair the council for a two-year term.
The inauguration was held on Thursday in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
Makinde officially inaugurated the Council under a newly approved rotational chairmanship arrangement.
However, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, was notably absent from the ceremony.
The council now operates on a two-year rotational chairmanship among the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, and the Soun of Ogbomoso. This replaces the previous structure where the Alaafin served as the permanent chairman.
The Oyo State House of Assembly recently amended the state’s chieftaincy laws to enable this rotation, a move that faced opposition from groups like the Oyo Forum, who argued it threatened the historical significance of the Alaafin stool.
The Alaafin’s absence follows a widely reported public “snub” just days earlier on January 12, 2026, where the Olubadan reportedly ignored the Alaafin’s greeting at an inter-faith gathering in Ibadan.
Governor Makinde emphasized that the rotational arrangement was established to resolve long-standing traditional leadership disputes and ensure proper representation for all major geopolitical zones in the state.
