The chieftaincy system of Ibadan is globally renowned for its democratic, non-hereditary, and rotational nature. However, a linguistic relic remains at the very foundation of this noble system that contradicts the pride of the Yoruba heritage: the title Mogaji.
The word Mogaji is a Yoruba domestication of the Hausa word Magaji, which literally means heir or successor. In Northern Nigeria, a Magaji is often the first son or the inheritor of a deceased person’s estate. In Ibadan, we have adopted this foreign term to describe the Olori Ebi, or the Head of the Family. While the Mogaji in Ibadan is indeed the heir to the family’s political slot, the role itself is that of a patriarch, a custodian of culture, and a representative of the Idile. By continuing to use a borrowed term from the North to name the foundational step to the Olubadan throne, we subtly suggest that our traditional leadership lacks its own vocabulary. Using Olori Ebi, a purely Yoruba term meaning Head of the Family, is not just more accurate; it is a necessary act of cultural restoration.
The journey to the throne typically takes several decades, beginning as an Olori Ebi and climbing over twenty rungs of the chieftaincy ladder. Looking at the history of the most recent monarchs reveals the prestige of this path. Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike I, who reigned from 1982 to 1994 on the Civil line, was known for his legendary wit and grassroots leadership. He was followed by Oba Emmanuel Adegboyega Operinde I, from 1994 to 1999 on the Military line, who was a disciplined leader during a period of national transition. Oba Yunusa Bankole Ogundipe then reigned from 1999 to 2007, having spent thirty-five years on the ladder before his ascension.
The stool gained further intellectual and moral weight under Oba Samuel Odulana Odungade I, a former lawmaker who reigned from 2007 to 2016 and was famous for preserving the stool’s sanctity by banning honorary titles. Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso I, served from 2016 to 2022. As a successful music mogul, he was known for his resilience and firm stance against the balkanization of the Ibadan crown. He was succeeded by the highly educated Oba Lekan Balogun, Okunmade II, a PhD holder and former Senator who reigned until 2024. Most recently, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, Ige Olakulehin I, served as a retired Army Major and businessman until 2025. Today, the throne is occupied by Oba Rashidi Ladoja, the former Governor of Oyo State and a chemical engineer known for his populist appeal and defense of tradition.
Using Mogaji to label the potential king of the largest indigenous city in West Africa is demeaning. It implies that the Yoruba people had to wait for external influences to name their family heads. Olori Ebi connects the chief directly to his people, removes the confusion of a successor versus a leader, and ensures that the Olubadan, a first-class monarch of the Yoruba race, has a foundation built on Yoruba pillars. As we celebrate the current era under Oba Rashidi Ladoja, we must look inward. If the throne is to remain the pride of the Yoruba, the steps leading to it must be paved with our own language. It is time for the Olubadan-in-Council to officially retire the title Mogaji and reinstate the authentic, dignified title of Olori Ebi.
By Bola Babarinde, Idile Agidi Oje ,Ibadan
