THE Olubadan-designate, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, is in good health, according to his son, Sumbo Owolabi, who spoke to newsmen in Ibadan yesterday.
“He will soon make his first public appearance any moment from now and even attend the next meeting of the Council of Obas in Ibadanland,” Owolabi, a former commissioner in Oyo State, told our correspondent, who visited the family house on Wednesday.
The clarification comes in the wake of concerns raised that Oba Olakulehin was missing from a Monday meeting of the Olubadan in Council to discuss his nomination to Governor Seyi Makinde as the next Olubadan.
On March 14, 2023, Oba Lekan Balogun died, leaving the historic and respected Olubadan seat empty.
Balogun died at the age of 81, just two years after rising to the throne.
Recall that the Council of Obas were to meet on Tuesday to formally deliberate on nominating Oba Olakulehin to Governor Seyi Makinde for appointment as the next Olubadan.
However, speaking with newsmen yesterday, Oba Hamidu Ajibade, the Ekerin Olubadan of Ibadan, expressed concern about the absence of the Olubadan-designate, Oba Olakulehin, from a Monday meeting of the Council of Obas to discuss Oba Olakulehin’s enthronement as the new Olubadan.
The Ekerin Olubadan expressed worry that Oba Olakulehin had not made a public appearance 12 days after being named Olubadan-designate following the death of Oba Balogun.
The Ekerin Olubadan implied that Oba Olakulehim could be ill, saying,
“If someone is not well or capable of staying on that throne, do you just want us to put that person there like a vegetable? Is it possible? What we want is whoever wants to become our Oba must be able to walk and speak, so that you can communicate with him.”
However, yesterday, his first son, Owolabi, said his father was in good health.
“Daddy has aged already. So, before the late Oba Balogun’s demise, Baba had gone on a medical trip. And when the incident happened, he was still there. So, he just stayed back to relax a bit.
“As a new king, different people will be paying him homage and he will need to attend to them all. And with his age, he may not have the strength to receive different people across Nigeria; hence, the reason his doctor advised him to relax a bit.
“I want to debunk the rumour that he is incapacitated. The installation of the next Olubadan will soon be done. People should stop fake rumour. I also want to debunk another rumour that the crowned Obas have not seen him. They have now seen each other,” he said.
Owolabi stated that the family home and Oba Olakulehin’s private property at No. 1 Cassia Street, Alalubose Government Reserved Area, would be renovated in preparation for his coronation as the next Olubadan.
The monarch’s son said, “One thing I know is that the renovation of his family house and this place (private residence) will soon commence after the inauguration of the Coronation Planning Committee by the State Government through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters.
“But I want to confirm to you that Baba, Olubadan-designate, Oba Olakulehin is the next Olubadan of Ibadanland. It was intentional not to attend the meeting fixed a few days ago, and not because of his health. He is the only person that can give you details on that. But I want to authoritatively confirm that the crowned Obas and Baba have been in touch physically. They have seen one another and he will join them at the next meeting whenever they convene it.”
