A governorship aspirant and said to being considered as a consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the 2027 governorship election on Oyo State, Sharafadeen Ali is to be crowned a traditional ruler in Ibadan.
Penpushing reports that an indication to this was the Oyo State Government approval of Ali’s promotion to Ekerin Olubadan, alongside two other High Chiefs, Bolaji Adewoyin and Kola Babalola, as Ekaarun Balogun and Ekarun Olubadan respectively
The chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) is a member of the National Assembly representing Oyo South Senatorial district, and following his promotion alongside two other high chiefs, they will ascend to Obaship status and attain an elevated rank within the state traditional council.
Penpushing further reports that the government approved the promotion of Alli in a memo authorised by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Ademola Ojo.
The memo titled: “Re: Request for the list of High Chiefs who are due for elevation to wear beaded crown in Ibadanland,” with registration number CB,211/10Vol IT/67 dated March 26, 2026.
Penpushing also reports that the letter was equally addressed to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, adding that it is essential that the newly elevated Chiefs in Olubadan in Council should be immediately conferred with beaded crowns
“I have the directive to refer to Your Majesty’s correspondence ref no L/ADV/Co/1242/843 dated 23rd March, 2026, in respect of the above and to inform Your Majesty that while making arrangements for the compilation of the High Chiefs and Baales who are due for beaded crown wearing in Ibadanland as requested’, Ojo wrote.
“It is traditionally necessary and very essential at this point in time that the newly elevated Chiefs in Olubadan in Council, i.e. High Chief Akeem Bolaji Adewoyin, Ekeerin Olubadan, High Chief Sharafadeen Ali, Ekaarun Balogun and High Chief Kola Babalola, Ekaarun Olubadan, should be immediately conferred with beaded crowns in order to avoid unnecessary insinuation that the delay is deliberate and political’, the letter stated.
“This is necessary in order to protect the Ibadan traditional institution. To this end, Your Majesty is hereby informed that the coronation/crown-wearing programme for the above-mentioned High Chiefs has been fixed for Friday, April 3, 2026, at the Mapo Hall, Ibadan’, it added.
“The promotion of the affected High Chiefs is in line with the 2024 Chieftaincy law as amended. With the promotion, the affected High Chiefs have become members of the Olubadan Advisory Council,” the letter stressed.
Penpushing reports that the new Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration, which was passed by the state House of Assembly and signed into law by Governor Seyi Makinde in 2025, revised Section 4 of the 1957 Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration.
The original version stated: “The person who may be proposed as a candidate by the line whose turn it is to fill a vacancy in the office of the Olubadan shall be the most Senior (High) Chief in that Line.”
Penpushing further reports that section 4 of the amendment, titled “New Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration,” replaced “the most Senior (High) Chief in that Line” with “the most Senior Beaded Crown Oba in that Line.”
“The person who may be proposed as a candidate by the line whose turn it is to fill a vacancy in the office of the Olubadan shall be the most Senior Beaded Crown Oba in that line’, the section read
Penpushing also reports that the media aide to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Adeola Oloko, when contacted confirmed the receipt of the letter from the state government, explaining that the letters have been forwarded to the beneficiaries
“The palace has received the letter confirming the promotion of the three high chiefs to the status of the beaded crown-wearing Obas. The letter has been forwarded to the beneficiaries, and we are expecting their responses at the appropriate time.’, he said
Penpushing reports that the Public Relations Officer of All Progressives Congress (APC), Wale Sadare, in response said it was not party affairs, and that the media aide to the senator will respond accordingly
The leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, however, raised the alarm over the consequences of what it described as mindless abandonment of the business of governance by Governor Makinde for politics.
Penpushing further reports the opposition party in the state said Makinde’s personal fear of life after office heightened in his mind and those of his cronies, who, it alleged, milk the resources of the state dry at the expense of over seven million people and residents of the state.
The party in a statement queried Makinde on the amount of time and resources of the state which he had spent recklessly in a bid to take full control of the dying Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the expense of the people and residents of the Pacesetters State.
“When Makinde won his second term in office, some people were of the opinion that he would face governance squarely and deliver good governance as desired by all and sundry, but he chose to devote more time to fight for the soul of the PDP, which had been enmeshed in intractable crisis for quite some time’, the statement stated.
“It is delusional for Makinde to have a belief that his luck in politics could carry him beyond the personal gains of his eight years in Agodi Government House, and if he continues to chase any office at the national level, the consequences would be anything but pleasant’, it added.
“More so, the current comatose status of the PDP was facilitated by some overrated political players who are members of the same umbrella party, including Governor Makinde, and it is certain that history would not be kind to them’, it read.
Penpushing also reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) lamented that the governor was busy politicking instead of monitoring developments in the state.
Meanwhile, other governorship aspirants under the All Progressives Congress(APC) include Senator Teslim Folarin; senator representing Oyo North, Abdulfatai Buhari; Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu; former Oyo State Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan; lawyer, Akeem Agbaje; former Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu; former Oyo Health Commissioner, Azeez Adeduntan; Saheed Oladele, Gbenga Adegbola, and Kunle Busari, the son of the late Ibadan strong politician in the First and Second Republic, Chief Busari Adelakun, popularly known as Eruobodo.
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