Residents and stakeholders of Ido town in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State have called on Governor Seyi Makinde and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, to urgently intervene in the prolonged leadership crisis surrounding the Onido of Ido stool.
Speaking on Tuesday while addressing journalists in Ibadan, the leader of the concerned group, Sarafadeen Adeyeye, disclosed that the community is currently grappling with an unusual situation in which three individuals are laying claim to the traditional throne, almost two decades after the dispute began.
Adeyeye described the situation as a major threat to peace and unity in the ancient town, noting that the unresolved crisis has continued to breed tension, confusion, and division among residents.
According to him, “Ido is in a very fragile state today because we have three persons claiming to be the Onido. They are Oba Benjamin Ademola Ishola Orobiyi II, Tajudeen Akinola, and Muritala Babalola. This is not healthy for any community that desires progress.”
He appealed to the state government and the Olubadan to step in and thoroughly review the matter in order to bring lasting clarity and stability to the town.
Providing background to the dispute, Adeyeye explained that the crisis dates back to the installation of Oba Orobiyi II in 1997, which later degenerated into deeper political and traditional disagreements around 2007, during a period of strained relations between the Oyo State Government and the Ibadan traditional institution.
He said the disagreements at higher levels eventually affected Ido, leaving the community trapped in a prolonged leadership crisis that has lasted for about 19 years.
Adeyeye added that rather than being conclusively resolved through administrative means, the situation worsened with multiple appointments and counter appointments, including those of Tajudeen Akinola and Muritala Babalola, thereby widening existing divisions within the town.
“Our call is not against any individual,” he said. “We are only asking for a fair, transparent, and comprehensive reassessment of the entire issue so that peace can finally return to Ido.”
The group expressed confidence that decisive intervention by Governor Makinde, working with the Olubadan in Council, would help resolve the lingering dispute, restore public trust in traditional institutions, and bring an end to nearly two decades of uncertainty over the Onido of Ido stool.
