At 82, Ladoja Turns Royal Reign Into Development Gains for Ibadan…Secures N300bn Ibadan–Ijebu-Ode Dualisation, Kudeti River Channelisation

For Ibadanland, the 82nd birthday of the Olubadan, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, Arusa I, is coming with more than the traditional fanfare of a royal anniversary.

It is also a moment to take stock of a first year on the throne in which the monarch has increasingly deployed his relationships and influence toward projects and initiatives he believes can transform Ibadanland.

Oba Ladoja, who clocks 82 today, Friday, September 25, 2026, is also marking his first anniversary on the throne of his forebears.

Rather than a lavish celebration, the monarch has reportedly opted for a low-key observance and is currently in Saudi Arabia performing the lesser Hajj, using the occasion to offer prayers of thanksgiving for the peace and grace experienced during his first year as Olubadan.

Central to the development narrative surrounding his reign is his longstanding relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

According to Presidency sources cited in connection with the projects, the Olubadan played a personal role in facilitating two major federal interventions for Ibadanland — the reconstruction and full dualisation of the Ibadan–Ijebu-Ode Road and the long-awaited channelisation of the Kudeti River.

The Ibadan–Ijebu-Ode Road project, which was flagged off about four weeks ago, has an estimated cost of more than N296 billion and is regarded as one of the strategic road projects capable of strengthening connectivity between Oyo, Ogun and the wider South-West.

A Presidency source attributed the facilitation of the project to the Olubadan’s intervention with President Tinubu.

«“The road was facilitated by Oba Ladoja through his friend and father of the nation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the source said.»

The Kudeti River channelisation project is equally significant, particularly against the backdrop of Ibadan’s longstanding vulnerability to flooding.

According to the source, Oba Ladoja personally presented the proposal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and the project has subsequently been captured through the Ecological Fund Office.

“Kabiyesi personally took the Kudeti proposal to the SGF. It has now been captured. At 82, his love for Ibadanland is unparalleled,” the source added.

If implemented as planned, the channelisation project is expected to strengthen flood-control infrastructure around areas affected by the Kudeti River and contribute to the broader effort to address Ibadan’s recurring flooding challenges.

Beyond federal infrastructure, the Olubadan’s first year has also witnessed initiatives focused on land administration, security and investment.

Oba Ladoja inaugurated a Special Anti-Land Grabbing Legal Committee headed by legal practitioners Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN, and Musibau Adetunbi, SAN.

The committee is expected to contribute to efforts aimed at confronting land grabbing, while proposals have also been made for local governments to enact relevant bye-laws under the Land Use Act and establish mechanisms for the speedy resolution of land-related disputes.

The palace has also warned that traditional title holders, including Mogajis and Baales, found to be assisting land grabbers could face removal.

Another major plank of the monarch’s development agenda is the revival of Ibadan’s industrial economy.

The Olubadan Economic and Investment Committee, chaired by former Minister of Industry, Chief Onikepo Akande, with former Head of Service, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, as co-chairman, has been tasked with exploring ways of reviving some of the city’s once-thriving industrial establishments.

Among those identified are Leyland, Exide Battery, Wire and Cable, Isoglass and Ferodo.

The broader objective is to attract investment, restore industrial activity and create employment opportunities, particularly for young people in Ibadanland.

The monarch’s agenda also extends to food security and community empowerment.

Initiatives such as Gaari Ibadan and community farming are being promoted as part of efforts to strengthen food availability, support local enterprise and encourage greater self-reliance among residents and young people.

For a city with a long history as one of Nigeria’s commercial and administrative centres, the emphasis on food security, industrial revival, land protection and infrastructure reflects an attempt to connect traditional leadership with contemporary economic challenges.

At 82, Oba Ladoja appears determined to make his reign about more than the ceremonial responsibilities of the crown.

His first year has been marked by interventions, committees, development advocacy and engagements with political and governmental authorities — with the Ibadan–Ijebu-Ode road and Kudeti River project now at the centre of the development narrative.

As the Olubadan offers prayers for Ibadanland, Oyo State, Yorubaland and Nigeria, his supporters argue that his latest milestone is not merely about longevity.

It is about what he can still accomplish for the people he now leads as their paramount traditional ruler.

For Ibadanland, the 82nd birthday of Oba Ladoja therefore provides an opportunity to celebrate both the man and the responsibilities of the throne — a reign increasingly being presented as one in which royal influence is being directed towards development.

Babalola is the immediate past Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Oyo State Council.