By Ghazali Ibrahim
As the ancient city of Ibadan prepares to crown Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja as its 44th Olubadan on September 26, 2025, history is being set on an unprecedented level. Born in 1944, Ladoja will ascend the throne as the 44th monarch of Ibadanland, just a day after celebrating his 81st birthday.
For many, this moment is not just about tradition, but also about the remarkable journey of a man who has lived several lifetimes in one; engineer, businessman, politician, statesman, kingmaker, and now king.
1. Early Life and Education
Ladoja was born on September 25, 1944, in Gambari, Ibadan. After his primary and secondary education in Oyo and Ibadan, he left Nigeria to study Chemical Engineering at the University of Liège, Belgium. His return to Nigeria marked the beginning of a diverse career that spanned oil, shipping, banking, and agriculture.
2. Corporate and Business Ventures
In his early professional life, Ladoja worked with Total Nigeria, rising through the ranks before venturing into business. He later became a successful entrepreneur with stakes in transport, oil, and finance. These ventures cemented his reputation as a shrewd businessman long before his foray into politics.
3. Politics and Governance
Ladoja served in the Senate during Nigeria’s short-lived Third Republic. Later, his political career took full flight in 2003 when he was elected Governor of Oyo State. His tenure was turbulent marked by reforms, controversies, and a dramatic impeachment in 2006. But his eventual reinstatement by the courts symbolized his resilience and earned him respect as a fighter for due process.
He later became a political godfather in Oyo State, influencing elections and mentoring younger politicians while remaining an independent voice in Nigeria’s turbulent political landscape. In old image that resurface online, he was seen endorsing the present governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde during one of his campaigns.
4. Accomplished Nollywood Producer
Beyond politics, Ladoja left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s creative industry. In the early 1990s, he supported filmmaker Tunde Kelani, helping him acquire equipment that birthed Mainframe Film and Television Productions (Opomulero).
Many iconic Nollywood films; Saworoide, Oleku, Thunderbolt (Magun), Campus Queen, Koseegbe all credit him as Executive Producer. For a man steeped in politics and commerce, his quiet role in shaping Nollywood is often overlooked but deeply significant.
5. Climbing the Olubadan Ladder
Unlike many Yoruba monarchies, the Olubadan stool follows a unique succession system, where two lines; civil and military, produce candidates who ascend step by step through chieftaincy titles.
Ladoja began his climb decades ago and eventually rose to Otun Olubadan, the highest rank on the civil line. His steady progression reflected patience, discipline, and deep respect for Ibadan’s traditions.
6. The Symbolism of His Ascension
That he was born in 1944 and now becomes the 44th Olubadan is not lost on Ibadan indigenes. Many see it as a symbolic alignment of destiny. His coronation comes at a time Ibadan is repositioning itself as both a modern metropolis and a custodian of Yoruba heritage.
7. Unique Relationship With Tinubu
Oba Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja and the incumbent president of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu both served as senators in the aborted third Republic representing Oyo south and Lagos central senatorial districts and they did belonged to the same political party during that time. Fast forward to the Fourth Republic, both were sworn in on the same day as governors of each state with Tinubu serving second tenure while Ladoja was a fresh governor, though not in the same party.
Despite their party differences, Tinubu reportedly lend helping hands to Ladoja when he was impeached by the then president, Olusegun Obasanjo. Tinubu rallied team of lawyers who help challenge the action in court and even provide a place of residence while in exile.
8. Ladoja’s Rejection of Beaded Crown
In 2017, Rashidi Ladoja was the only Ibadan high chief who rejected the beaded crown offered under the chieftaincy review by then-Governor Abiola Ajimobi. He insisted the move violated Ibadan tradition, which recognizes only one Olubadan. He challenged the decision in court and refused to join others in accepting the title. It wasn’t until 2023, under Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, that Ladoja reconsidered, agreeing to wear the crown, a key step in his path to becoming Olubadan.
9. He is the only Ibadan-born governor to become Olubadan
Rashidi Ladoja makes history as the first person to have served as Governor of Oyo State and also ascend the revered throne of Olubadan, a rare combination of political and traditional leadership rooted in Ibadan heritage.
10. Lone Surviving Former Governor
Rashidi Ladoja is currently the only surviving elected governor of Oyo State from the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999. While his contemporaries; Lam Adesina, Alao-Akala, and Abiola Ajimobi have all passed away, Ladoja remains a key political figure and elder statesman in the state, further highlighting the historical significance of his emergence as the 44th Olubadan.
As he takes on the weight of tradition at 81, Ibadan awaits a monarch who carries not just a title but also the lived experience of governance, business, and cultural patronage.
