Ibadan Chiefs and Indigenes Blast Fayose For Claiming Olubadan Is Working With Governor Makinde’s Enemies

A sharp rift has emerged in the traditional and political circles of Oyo State as indigenous groups and prominent Ibadan chiefs issued a stern warning to former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, demanding he stop exploiting the revered stool of the Olubadan for personal political leverage.

The public condemnation followed a fiery media interview that has set off fresh waves of tension across the South-West geopolitical zone. The Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), alongside influential family heads (Mogajis), made their positions clear on Monday, June 22, 2026, expressing deep anger over what they termed “provocative and unreasonable” attempts to compromise the neutrality of Ibadan’s highest traditional office.

The friction traces back to an appearance by Fayose on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he launched an open assault on Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde. The former Ekiti chief executive accused Makinde of systematically dismantling his political influence within the South-West chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, the breaking point for local leaders came when Fayose claimed that his anti-Makinde campaign enjoyed the blessing of the newly crowned Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja (Arusa I). During the broadcast, Fayose boldly asserted, “The current Olubadan was a colleague. We are all working together, including the Olubadan, including all Makinde’s enemies.”

The response from the custodians of Ibadan culture was swift and uncompromising. CCII President-General, Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole, directly called out the former governor for disregarding previous private warnings to keep the palace isolated from partisan squabbles.

“The comments credited to former Governor Ayodele Fayose are highly provocative and unreasonable,” Chief Ajewole stated in a joint release signed alongside CCII Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Olomide. “They are entirely capable of creating a false impression about the revered Olubadan institution and heating up the political atmosphere needlessly. The Olubadan of Ibadanland is the father of all sons and daughters of Ibadan, irrespective of political affiliation. It is completely unacceptable for anyone to drag the monarch into political contests or create the impression that he belongs to any political camp. Former Governor Ayodele Fayose should fight his political battles alone and leave the Olubadan out of his politics.”

Adding a highly personalized layer to the backlash, Mogaji Olusola Ladoja, the head of the prominent Akinsola Family Compound, expressed profound disappointment in the former governor’s conduct. The Ibadan chief questioned the sincerity of Fayose’s long-standing claims of affection for his birthplace, pointing out the irony of an honorary son actively trying to diminish the prestige of the city’s paramount ruler.

Mogaji Ladoja noted that Fayose’s persistent hostility toward Governor Makinde was both unwarranted and hypocritical, recalling that the former Ekiti leader had previously benefited from Makinde’s political goodwill and administrative support. The chief emphasized that Makinde’s expansive infrastructure projects and ongoing modernization policies across Ibadanland speak for themselves, making Fayose’s hostile rhetoric difficult to justify to ordinary citizens.

This traditional pushback comes amid an already complex political atmosphere in the state. In April, speculations of a rift between the state government and the palace prompted a solidarity visit by Fayose to the monarch’s residence, which local analysts now view as a calculated prelude to his recent television remarks.

With political parties reorganizing their internal lines for future regional contests, the immediate intervention of the CCII serves as a firm boundary around the throne. By publicly separating royal authority from party politics, the indigenous leadership of Ibadan has signaled that while politicians are free to engage in tactical warfare, the ancient crown will remain entirely non-partisan throughout the 2026 political calendar.