Olufadejin Family Accuses Olubadan Of Imposing Mogaji Candidate, Warns Of Looming Crisis

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The Olufadejin family of Alekuso in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State has accused the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Rashidi Ladoja, of attempting to impose a preferred candidate as the family’s Mogaji, warning that the move could trigger a crisis within the lineage.

The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by Elder Dauda Adesina on behalf of the family, who appealed to the monarch to withdraw the name of Mr Fatai Omosanjo Amzat from the list of prospective Mogajis slated for installation.

The dispute follows the death of the immediate past Mogaji of the Olufadejin family and Seriki Musulumi of Yorubaland, Yekini Adeojo, who died on April 4, 2025.

According to the family, the contest for the vacant Mogaji stool was between Mr Akeem Adeojo and Mr Fatai Omosanjo Amzat. It stated that an election conducted under the supervision of the Mogaji Committee produced Akeem Adeojo as the winner.

The statement alleged that after Amzat rejected the outcome of the first exercise, another election was conducted, which ended in a tie.

The family claimed that instead of conducting a decisive third ballot, one of its elders, identified as Lateef Busari, allegedly sought to influence the process by leveraging his relationship with the Olubadan in support of Amzat’s candidature.

According to the statement, the first election was won by Akeem Adeojo, while the rerun ended in a draw. The family alleged that rather than allowing another ballot to determine the winner, efforts were made to secure Amzat’s emergence through external influence.

The family further alleged that it was surprised to find Amzat’s name among those proposed for installation as Mogaji without consultation with all parties involved.

It maintained that the selection of a Mogaji remains an internal affair of each family and insisted that imposing a candidate would be contrary to the customs and traditions of Ibadanland.

The statement read in part, “We expected our revered monarch to invite the two contestants and members of the family for a meeting. Instead, he wanted to impose him on us.

“They should allow us to pick our own Mogaji by ourselves. Imposing someone on us is against the tradition of Ibadanland. We are appealing to Oba Rashidi Ladoja to remove the name of Fatai Omosanjo Amzat from the list of proposed Compound Heads to avoid crisis within the Olufadejin family.”

The family also alleged that the Olubadan-in-Council had earlier concluded the list of Mogajis for installation before the inclusion of Amzat’s name, claiming the decision amounted to favouritism.

It further claimed that the monarch had maintained political differences with the late Adeojo during his lifetime and urged him not to allow such disagreements to influence the family’s traditional affairs.

The Olufadejin family appealed to the Olubadan to allow due process to prevail in the selection of its Mogaji to preserve peace and uphold the long-standing traditions governing chieftaincy succession in Ibadanland.

As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from the palace of the Olubadan to the allegations contained in the statement.