Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has presented the staff of office to the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba (Dr.) Mohood Olalekan Ishola Balogun (Alli Okunmade II).
The governor, who performed the presentation on Friday afternoon at the historic Mapo Hall, Ibadan, equally urged the new Olubadan to be father to all.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Kayode Fayemi were among the prominent Nigerians that attended the coronation.
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Ondo State Deputy Governor, Lucky Ayedatiwa and Osun State Deputy Governor, Benedict Alabi were also some of the prominent citizens in attendance.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; the Deputy Chairman of Oyo State Council of traditional rulers, Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi Ojaja II, Etsu Nupe, Emir of Kano and the Ààrẹ Ọ̀nà Kakanfò of Yorùbáland, Otunba Gani Adams, were also present.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that other prominent Nigerians, especially sons and daughters of Ibadanland; politicians, captains of industries, and a flock of tourists and stakeholders – home and abroad – graced the occasion.
Many associations in different colourful outfits were seen within and outside the Mapo Hall premises – venue of the event, dancing to the indigenous Yorùbá music of Ibadanland.
No fewer than four popular Yorùbá musicians including an Ibadan-based Fuji maestro, set their stages to entertain dignitaries and well-wishers at the kingly occasion.
A visit to the Ali-Iwo Compound, where the new Olubadan hails from, showed that ceremonial activities were afoot, as choral groups were also seen singing praises of the Ali-Iwo Family.
Traditional drummers and native praise-singers, with scores of sight-seers, were also sighted at different spots on the Oje-Beere-Oja-Oba axis of Ibadanland.
Meanwhile, there was a heavy deployment of security operatives to some strategic locations within the Metropolis, especially the roads leading to the venue of the event.
Correspondents of NAN, monitoring the situation, also observe the presence of teams of Nigerian security agencies including the NSCDC, Operation Burst and Amotekun personnel gallantly deployed to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Also, officers of the Oyo State Fire Service were on the ground at the venue to tend to any fire incident.
Major roads leading to Mapo Hall were blocked, while commuters were trekking a circuitous distance in getting to their destination and venue of the ceremony.
Also observed was the presence of traditional worshipers a few metres away from the venue chanting, dancing and ecstatic about the auspicious ceremony.