At 82, Olubadan Ladoja Turns One Year on Throne into Development Dividend for Ibadan
N300bn Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode dualisation, Kudeti River channelisation headline first-year development push
By Alhaji Comrade Ademola Babalola
Immediate Past Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council
FOR Ibadanland, the 82nd birthday of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, Arusa I, is more than a celebration of age. It is also an opportunity to reflect on his first year on the throne and the development initiatives that have emerged around his reign.
As Oba Ladoja clocks 82 today, Friday, September 25, 2026, ahead of the first anniversary of his ascension to the Olubadan throne on Saturday, September 26, Ibadanland has every reason to reflect on the journey so far.
The monarch has chosen to mark the twin occasions quietly. He is currently in Saudi Arabia for the Lesser Hajj, where he is offering thanksgiving to Almighty Allah and praying for himself, the Ibadan Traditional Institution, Ibadanland, Oyo State and Nigeria.
Rather than elaborate celebrations, the Olubadan has urged his people, friends and well-wishers to use the occasions for prayers and thanksgiving.
From the Palace to Development Advocacy
One of the major talking points of the Olubadan’s first year has been his advocacy for major infrastructure projects capable of transforming the economic fortunes of Ibadan and its surrounding communities.
Among these is the reconstruction and full dualisation of the strategic Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road, a 56.5-kilometre federal highway linking Oyo and Ogun states.
The Federal Government formally flagged off the project on August 24, 2026, with the project estimated at about N296 billion. Official government information states that the project is aimed at improving connectivity, transportation, security and economic activities along the corridor.
However, Presidency sources cited in connection with the Olubadan’s first anniversary said the monarch played a role in facilitating the project through his longstanding relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to one of the sources, the road project was facilitated by Oba Ladoja through his relationship with the President.
Another major intervention associated with the monarch’s development advocacy is the proposed channelisation of the Kudeti River, a project considered important to flood control and environmental improvement in parts of Ibadan.
A Presidency source quoted in this regard said the Olubadan personally presented the Kudeti proposal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and that the project had subsequently been captured under the Ecological Fund.
If implemented as proposed, the intervention could provide significant relief to communities affected by flooding and environmental degradation along the Kudeti corridor.
Tackling Land Grabbing
Beyond physical infrastructure, Oba Ladoja has also turned attention to some of the longstanding challenges confronting Ibadanland.
One of these is the menace of land grabbing.
The Olubadan inaugurated a Special Anti-Land Grabbing Legal Committee comprising prominent legal practitioners, including Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN, and Musibau Adetunbi, SAN.
The committee is expected to examine legal and institutional measures for tackling land grabbing, including proposals for local governments to enact appropriate bye-laws and establish mechanisms for the speedy prosecution of offenders.
The palace has also warned that traditional title holders, including Mogajis and Baales, who are found to be aiding or abetting land grabbing could face disciplinary measures, including removal from office.
Economic Revival and Investment
Another major component of the Olubadan’s first-year agenda is economic revival.
The monarch constituted the Olubadan Economic and Investment Committee, chaired by former Minister of Industry, Chief Onikepo Akande, with former Head of Service of the Federation, Professor Oladapo Afolabi, as co-chairman.
The committee is expected to explore practical ways of reviving Ibadan’s industrial and commercial potential, including the possible revival of once-thriving establishments such as Leyland, Exide Battery, Wire and Cable, Isoglass and Ferodo.
The broader objective is to attract fresh investment, revive economic activity and create employment opportunities, particularly for the growing population of young people in Ibadan.
Food Security and Grassroots Empowerment
The Olubadan’s development interests have also extended to food security and grassroots empowerment through initiatives such as Gaari Ibadan and community farming.
These initiatives are designed to encourage local production, strengthen household livelihoods, promote food security and create opportunities for young people to participate in productive economic activities.
For a traditional ruler who is marking both his 82nd birthday and first anniversary on the throne, these initiatives represent an attempt to combine the traditional responsibilities of the Olubadan institution with advocacy for practical development.
A Year of Advocacy and Engagement
In my assessment as a stakeholder who has followed developments in Oyo State and Ibadanland closely, the first year of Oba Ladoja’s reign has placed development advocacy prominently on the agenda of the traditional institution.
The emerging projects span infrastructure, flood control, land security, investment, food security and youth empowerment.
The N296 billion Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road project, in particular, is now beyond the stage of proposal, having been formally flagged off by the Federal Government. Its eventual impact, however, will depend on sustained funding, quality execution and timely completion.
The Kudeti River channelisation and other initiatives will similarly have to move from approval and advocacy to actual implementation before their full benefits can be measured.
That distinction is important.
Development projects are ultimately judged not merely by announcements, approvals or political goodwill, but by their execution and measurable impact on the lives of the people.
A Monarch at 82
At 82, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja enters another year of his life and reign with a significant record of public service behind him and a traditional institution before him that carries enormous expectations.
His decision to spend the occasion in Saudi Arabia on the Lesser Hajj underscores the importance he attaches to thanksgiving and prayers.
He has also called on the people of Ibadanland, Oyo State, Yorubaland and Nigeria to pray for peace, progress and a better future.
As Ibadan celebrates its monarch, the significance of his first year on the throne will ultimately be measured by the extent to which the initiatives associated with his reign translate into real improvements in the lives of residents.
For now, however, his first year has clearly placed development advocacy, infrastructure, economic revival, land security, food security and youth empowerment among the prominent issues surrounding the Olubadan institution.
At 82, Oba Ladoja is therefore marking not only another milestone in age, but also the completion of his first year in a traditional office whose influence continues to extend beyond the palace into the broader development conversation about Ibadanland.
- Alhaji Comrade Ademola Babalola is the Immediate Past Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council.