Taking the statistics of the ages of past rulers of Ibadanland, they are usually old men, having spent years to climb the succession ladder.
Most of those in line of Olubadan are already at the boarding gate to heaven
It is unfortunate that not all aspiring Olubadan eventually emerges, as nature has a way of keeping some of them off their ambition. The death of someone on the ladder is a promotion for another.
Most of the kingmakers in line to become Olubadan are already aged, with many of them suffering from old age-related ailments. From the Ekarun Balogun to the Balogun and from Ekarun Olubadan to the Otun Olubadan are men in their 70s to late 80s.
One of them is actually less than 60. The Olubadan-designate is nearing 89; the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, is nearing 80; the Osi Olubadan, Oba Eddy Oyewole, is in his late 80s, with the youngest among them in early 70s.
It takes anyone that will become an Olubadan to have spent between 35 and 40 years climbing the ladder. Adding the promotion years to their age, with some starting the journey in their 40s, the earliest time they will arrive at the zenith is around 80 years of age.
It usually takes decades to groom an Olubadan for the stool, through stages of chieftaincy promotion. For those on the Otun line, they will climb 22 rungs of the ladder from Jagun to become Olubadan, meaning that an Olubadan-elect from that line would have performed 22 rites of passage, from one chieftaincy position to another before getting to the zenith, while those on the Balogun line will perform 23 rites of passage to attain the topmost title of His Imperial Majesty.
Except for Oba Yesufu Kobiowu who was 55 years old when he ascended the throne in 1964, most Olubadans in history are usually in their late 70s to early 80s when ascending the throne. The irony, however, is that Oba Kobiowu reigned for only six months.
Full list of past Olubadan
Below is the list of the 42 Olubadan of Ibadan
- (One year): Lagelu – 1820
- (Six years): Baale Maye Okunade – 1820-1826
- (Four years): Baale Oluyendun Labosinde – 1826-1830
- (Five years): Baale Lakanle – 1830-1835
- (15 Years): Basorun Oluyole Ojaba – 1835-1850
- (One year): Baale Oderinlo Opeagbe Idiomo/Kure – 1850-1851
- (13 Years): Baale Oyesile Olugbode Ita Baale – 1851-1864
- (One year): Ba’ale Ibikunle – 1864-1865
- (Two Years): Basorun Ogumola Mapo – 1865-1867
- (Three Years): Balogun Beyioku Akere Onitamperin – 1867-1870
- (One year): Baale Orowusi (Awarun) Kobomoje – 1870-1871
- (14 Years): Aare Oadoke Latoosa Oke-Are – 1871-1885
- (Eight Years): Balogun Ajayi Osungbekun Kobmoje – 1885-1893
- (Two Years): Baate Fijabi 1 (Omo Babalola) Oritamerin – 1893-1895
- (Two Years): Baale Osuntoki Olusun Agbeni – 1895-1897
- (Five Years): Badorun Fajimi (Yerombi) Oranyan – 1897-1902
- (Two Years): Baale Mosaderin Sunlehinmi Oranyan – 1902-1904
- (Three Years): Baale Dada Opadare Mapo – 1904-1907
- (Three Years): Basorun Sumonu Apanpa Isale-Osi – 1907-1910
- (Two Years): Baale Akintayo Awanibaku Elenpe Bere, Aboke – 1910-1912
- (Two Years): Baale Irefin (Omo Ogundeyi) Oke Ofa Babasale – 1912-1914
- (11 Years): Baale Shitu (Omo Are Latosa) Oke Are 1914-1925 11
- (Five Years): Baale Oyewole Aiyejenku Omo Foko Oke Foko – 1925-1930
- (16 Years): Olubadan Okunola Abaasi Alesinloye Isale Ijebu – 1930-1946
- (Three Months): Olubadan Fagbinrin Akere II Oritamerin – 1946-1946
- (Eight Months): Olubadan Oyetunde I Eleta – 1946-1946
- (One year): Olubadan Akintunde Bioku Oleyo, Oranyan – 1947-1948
- (Four Years): Olubadan Fijabi II Oritamerin – 1948-1952
- (Three Months): Olubadan Memudu Alli Iwo Gbenla – 1952- 1952
- (Three Months): Olubadan Igbintade Apete Oke Ofa – 1952-1955
- (Nine Years): Oba Isaac Babalola Akinyele Alafara – 1955-1964
- (Two Months): Oba Yesufu Kobiowu Oranyan – 1964-1964
- (Six Years): Oba Salawu Akanbi Aminu Adeoyo – 1965-1971
- (Five Years): Oba Shittu Akintola Oyetunde II Eleta – 1971- 1976
- (One year): Oba Gbadamosi Akanbi Adebimpe Odinjo – 1976- 1977
- (Five Years): Oba Daniel Tayo Akinbiyi Elekuro – 1977-1982
- (10 Years): Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike IdiAro – 1983- 1993
- (Six Years): Oba Emmanuel Adegboyega Operinde Isale Ijebu – 1993-1999
- (Eight Years): Oba Yinusa B. Ogundipe Arapasowu I Oranyan – 1999-2007
- (Nine Years): Oba Samuel Odulana Olugade I- 2007–2016
- (Six Years): Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji – 2016–2022
- (Two Years): Oba Lekan Balogun – 2022–2024
– – Additional details from Tribune.
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