Why Aged Will Continue to Ascend Olubadan Throne ( Full List of Olubadan)

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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.

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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

1. (One year): Lagelu – 1820
2. (Six years): Baale Maye Okunade – 1820-1826
3. (Four years): Baale Oluyendun Labosinde – 1826-1830
4. (Five years): Baale Lakanle – 1830-1835
5. (15 Years): Basorun Oluyole Ojaba – 1835-1850
6. (One year): Baale Oderinlo Opeagbe Idiomo/Kure – 1850-1851
7. (13 Years): Baale Oyesile Olugbode Ita Baale – 1851-1864
8. (One year): Ba’ale Ibikunle – 1864-1865
9. (Two Years): Basorun Ogumola Mapo – 1865-1867
10. (Three Years): Balogun Beyioku Akere Onitamperin – 1867-1870
11. (One year): Baale Orowusi (Awarun) Kobomoje – 1870-1871
12. (14 Years): Aare Oadoke Latoosa Oke-Are – 1871-1885
13. (Eight Years): Balogun Ajayi Osungbekun Kobmoje – 1885-1893
14. (Two Years): Baate Fijabi 1 (Omo Babalola) Oritamerin – 1893-1895
15. (Two Years): Baale Osuntoki Olusun Agbeni – 1895-1897
16. (Five Years): Badorun Fajimi (Yerombi) Oranyan – 1897-1902
17. (Two Years): Baale Mosaderin Sunlehinmi Oranyan – 1902-1904
18. (Three Years): Baale Dada Opadare Mapo – 1904-1907
19. (Three Years): Basorun Sumonu Apanpa Isale-Osi – 1907-1910
20. (Two Years): Baale Akintayo Awanibaku Elenpe Bere, Aboke – 1910-1912
21. (Two Years): Baale Irefin (Omo Ogundeyi) Oke Ofa Babasale – 1912-1914
22. (11 Years): Baale Shitu (Omo Are Latosa) Oke Are 1914-1925 11
23. (Five Years): Baale Oyewole Aiyejenku Omo Foko Oke Foko – 1925-1930
24. (16 Years): Olubadan Okunola Abaasi Alesinloye Isale Ijebu – 1930-1946
25. (Three Months): Olubadan Fagbinrin Akere II Oritamerin – 1946-1946
26. (Eight Months): Olubadan Oyetunde I Eleta – 1946-1946
27. (One year): Olubadan Akintunde Bioku Oleyo, Oranyan – 1947-1948
28. (Four Years): Olubadan Fijabi II Oritamerin – 1948-1952
29. (Three Months): Olubadan Memudu Alli Iwo Gbenla – 1952- 1952
30. (Three Months): Olubadan Igbintade Apete Oke Ofa – 1952-1955
31. (Nine Years): Oba Isaac Babalola Akinyele Alafara – 1955-1964
32. (Two Months): Oba Yesufu Kobiowu Oranyan – 1964-1964
33. (Six Years): Oba Salawu Akanbi Aminu Adeoyo – 1965-1971
34. (Five Years): Oba Shittu Akintola Oyetunde II Eleta – 1971- 1976
35. (One year): Oba Gbadamosi Akanbi Adebimpe Odinjo – 1976- 1977
36. (Five Years): Oba Daniel Tayo Akinbiyi Elekuro – 1977-1982
37. (10 Years): Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike IdiAro – 1983- 1993
38. (Six Years): Oba Emmanuel Adegboyega Operinde Isale Ijebu – 1993-1999
39. (Eight Years): Oba Yinusa B. Ogundipe Arapasowu I Oranyan – 1999-2007
40. (Nine Years): Oba Samuel Odulana Olugade I- 2007–2016
41. (Six Years): Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji – 2016–2022
42. (Two Years): Oba Lekan Balogun – 2022–2024

– – Additional details from Tribune.