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Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has warned that Oyo State could experience unrest if any attempt is made to remove the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, from the throne.
Igboho issued the warning in a video clip shared by local media platform Oyo Affairs on Friday, amid renewed attention to earlier allegations of a plot to dethrone the monarch.
The agitator warned that any governor who attempted to remove Ladoja would face resistance, insisting that the traditional ruler’s position must not be threatened.
“They will declare a state of emergency. If any governor tries it, it is from Soka here that this state would be shaking,” he said.
Igboho questioned why anyone would contemplate removing the monarch, stressing that Ladoja was an indigene of Oyo State and deserved respect from the government and residents.
“Why will you remove Olubadan? All of us are from Oyo State,” he added.
He maintained that the Olubadan’s position should not become a subject of political controversy, warning against any action capable of undermining the traditional institution or threatening the monarch’s safety.
Warning against alleged ambush plot
Igboho also reacted to claims that there were plans to waylay or ambush the monarch, insisting that such allegations should remain rumours and must not be translated into action.
He said nobody should contemplate attacking Ladoja, either at his residence or elsewhere, warning that any attempt to target the monarch would not be tolerated.
“When someone told me that they said they were going to waylay Olubadan, I said no one dare try such. It should remain a gossip. You cannot go and ambush him. Even when he is not yet Olubadan, you dare not, not to talk of now that he is on that seat,” he said.
The agitator further warned those who might consider carrying out such an action that they would face consequences.
“One million of you dare not try it. If you attempt it, you will run away from the government house. How will you say you want to ambush Olubadan at his home? It should remain a gossip,” he added.
Igboho’s comments came amid public discussions surrounding the relationship between the Oyo State Government and the traditional institution, particularly following earlier allegations that the monarch could be removed from the throne.
Igboho assures Ladoja of safety
The Yoruba nation agitator said he had personally assured Ladoja that he had nothing to fear, expressing confidence that nobody would dare attack the monarch in his residence.
He said the Olubadan deserved peace and security in the discharge of his traditional responsibilities, adding that the monarch’s position as a prominent indigene of the state should command respect.
“I have told Olubadan, ‘Baba, sleep and snore. There is no one that can come and meet you in your house. We are all indigenes of Oyo State. May Olubadan live long,” he said.
The remarks underscored Igboho’s opposition to any alleged plan to remove the monarch, although the video did not establish that an actual attempt to dethrone or attack Ladoja was underway.
How the controversy started
The controversy surrounding Ladoja’s position dates back to April 2026, when former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose alleged that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde was planning to remove the monarch from the throne.
Fayose reportedly claimed that the state government could issue the Olubadan a query over his reported absence from a planned coronation of high chiefs in Ibadanland.
The allegation generated public discussion about the relationship between the state government and the traditional institution, with questions raised about whether political disagreements could affect the monarch’s position.
However, the Oyo State Government denied the allegation. The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, said the administration had neither contemplated nor discussed removing Ladoja from the throne.
The monarch’s media aide, Adeola Oloko, also dismissed suggestions of a rift between the Olubadan and the governor.
Political tensions surrounding the traditional institution
The controversy later widened amid separate allegations concerning the monarch’s alleged involvement in political discussions surrounding the state’s governorship succession.
Ladoja denied involvement in a plot to impeach Makinde, adding another dimension to the political discussions surrounding the traditional ruler and the state government.
On April 17, the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, disclosed that Ibadan elders had intervened in the reported disagreement.
Ajibola urged the Olubadan to remain above partisan politics and serve as a father figure to politicians across party lines, stressing the importance of maintaining the traditional institution’s position as a unifying force.
Despite the earlier denials by the state government and the monarch’s aide, Igboho’s latest comments have renewed attention to the allegations surrounding Ladoja’s position. However, the reported plot to dethrone the monarch remains an allegation, and the latest warning does not independently establish that any such plan exists.
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