By Adeyinka Adeniran
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has called for concerted efforts to insulate traditional rulers from partisan politics to prevent political actors from taking arbitrary decisions whose consequences they do not fully understand.
The monarch made the call on Sunday while receiving the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, who paid him a courtesy visit at the Olubadan Palace in Ibadan.
Speaking during the visit, Oba Ladoja stressed that Kano has existed for over a millennium and cautioned against unreasonable attempts to balkanize the ancient emirate, praying that reason and lasting peace would prevail in Kano.
He said: “We have a lot in common. And we have to find a way of insulating the position of the traditional rulers from partisan politics, failure of which they continue to take decisions whose consequences they don’t even understand.
“From history, we know that Kano has been there for more than 1,000 years. And for somebody to wake up and say he is going to break it doesn’t seem to be reasonable. We pray that reason will prevail in the Kano Emirate to restore what we used to know Kano for.”
Recalling the historical Maitatsine crisis that originated in Kano, the Olubadan emphasized the need for sustained peace in the ancient city, describing it as a vital commercial hub and the convergence point for Hausa and Fulani-speaking people across the region.
Speaking on the visit, the monarch said, “What is happening today is historic. Historic in the sense that people say that two towns in Nigeria are very accommodating: Kano and Ibadan. Kano is the convergence of all the Hausa-speaking people and Fulani-speaking people that I know.
“It is a commercial capital, not just of Nigeria, but of that entire area, and it still remains a commercial capital, so we need peace there,” Oba Ladoja stated.
The monarch commended Emir Sanusi for leaving his influential position as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to ascend the throne of his ancestors, describing the move as a reflection of his character and devotion to service, while also recalling how he admired the Emir’s spiritual dedication during Umrah in Medina.
“Anybody who believes in God knows that you worked and you merit the position of the Emir of Kano. You decided to quit the Central Bank to go and become Emir.
“Whoever is heading the Central Bank is virtually heading Nigeria’s economy, so to have left that office to become the Emir of Kano shows who you are. I used to admire him any time I went to Umrah; even as the Central Bank Governor, he was always on the same spot in Medina for hours praying,” he said.
Oba Ladoja, who noted that he is still in his first year on the throne after a 32-year journey that began in 1993 across Ibadan’s republican ascension ladder, also spoke of his long-standing friendship with a Kano elder, Yusuf Garba Ali, since 1972, and pledged to pay a reciprocal visit to Kano very soon.
“Ibadan, as you know it, is republican. There is no defined ruling house, and it is only the Almighty Allah that crowns the Olubadan of Ibadanland because you have to climb 22 or 23 ladders before you become the Olubadan. I started my journey in 1993; that is a journey of 32 years. For that, I thank God that I am the Olubadan today. I now want to make another promise again to the Emir that I will come to Kano very, very soon,” the monarch added.
Earlier in his remarks, Emir Sanusi explained that he was in Ibadan to honour a long-standing invitation to attend a conference organized by Imams and Alfas in Southwest Nigeria, describing the gathering as a vital bridge-building initiative for national unity, progress, and prosperity.
“We fixed this date a long time ago, and even though other events came, we considered it important to honour our promise to appear at the conference, even if it is for a brief period, because they have been expecting me to come. And this invitation is part of the positive developments we have been having of bridge building, where Nigerians from different parts of the country reach out to each other and come together in the interest of the unity, the progress, and the prosperity of our dear nation,” the Emir said.
Sanusi apologized for his belated visit following the monarch’s appointment and coronation, citing unavoidable circumstances, and congratulated Oba Ladoja on his ascension to the revered throne while praying for a long, peaceful, and prosperous reign.
He said: “It is only natural, coming to your kingdom, that I would pay this courtesy call. You do not come to a man’s house and just enter and leave without seeing him. This visit is belated because I should have come after the appointment and the coronation, but as Your Majesty is aware, certain circumstances prevented me from attending. But Alhamdulillah that we are here; I take this opportunity to congratulate you on your ascension to this revered throne, to pray to Allah to guard and protect you, to make your reign long, and to give peace and prosperity to Ibadan and to Nigeria as a whole.”
The Emir also recalled his deep-rooted ties to Ibadan, dating back to his days at First Bank alongside the late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola Alao, and through his tenure as CBN Governor, adding that he looks forward to hosting the Olubadan in Kano to further strengthen the historic bond between both peoples.
“I’m sure the community will remember that I’m a regular visitor from my days as Governor of Central Bank and as Emir, and I have maintained close ties with many of the sons of Ibadan.
“In fact, even before Central Bank, because of our relationship with First Bank and with Aare Arisekola, Ibadan was always a second town for us. I look forward to receiving you in Kano very soon, and to continuing with the strong relations and bonds between the people of Kano and the people of Ibadan,” Sanusi concluded.
