Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The Head of Seriki Line in Ibadan traditional chieftaincy system, Chief Adebayo Oyediji, has breathed his last at the age of 92.
Oyediji had fought for his installation as the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland against the incumbent occupier of the stool, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso I, in 2016.
Sunday Sun gathered that the business tycoon, who instituted many court cases against the Olubadan of Ibadanland and the Oyo State Government over the alleged alienation of the Seriki line from producing paramount ruler of Ibadanland, died at a private hospital, in Ibadan, on Friday, after a brief illness.
After the demise of the 40th Olubadan, Oba Samuel Odulana, Odugade I, Chief Oyediji, had fought tirelessly that he should be installed as the 41st Olubadan by the Oyo State Government under the leadership of Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
He had described Seriki as the third line that usually produced the Olubadan, apart from the Otun (civil) Line and Balogun(military) Line that always produce Olubadan on rotational basis. He had explained that if a judgment of the Supreme Court had been followed, which, according to him, stipulated that the Seriki of Ibadanland, should be appointed as Ekerin Balogun of Ibadanland on the simultaneous death of two prominent members of the Olubadan-in-Council, he should succeed Oba Odulana.
Prior to the demise of Oba Odulana, the then Balogun of Ibadanland, Chief Suleiman Omiyale, and Otun Olubadan, Chief Omowale Kuye, died simultaneously, which gave Chief Oyediji the courage to ask for his installation.
Oyediji further explained that if the Seriki Line also enjoyed promotion the way the other two lines did, he should be the Balogun of Ibadanland at the time Oba Odulana died and automatically he should be the 41st Olubadan.
The last Seriki of Ibadanland was Chief Meredith Adisa Akinloye, a former national chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and since his death on September 18, 2007 at 91, nobody in the Seriki Line was promoted to the next rank since then.
But Oyediji was the most senior chief in the Seriki Line since then.
Sunday Sun gathered that up till his death, Oyediji was optimistic that the court would quash the installation of Oba Adetunji as the 41st Olubadan on Friday March 4, 2016, and order his installation as the 41st Olubadan instead.
As gathered, a gazette published by the Oyo State Government in August 2017 had abrogated the Seriki Chieftaincy Line, and restricted the production of Olubadan to the Otun and Balogun lines.