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The dispute between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Group has escalated as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed all its affiliates and members nationwide to immediately mobilise for what it described as a ‘full-scale, decisive engagement’ against the conglomerate’s alleged anti-worker practices.

NLC’s directive, contained in an internal memo signed by its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, follows months of industrial unrest led by PENGASSAN and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

The two unions have accused the Dangote Group of union-busting, unfair labour practices, and victimisation of workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and other subsidiaries.

According to the NLC, the conflict has now moved beyond the individual struggles of PENGASSAN and NUPENG, and has become a broader fight for workers’ rights across the country.

‘This letter serves as a formal and urgent request in response to the protracted and deliberate anti-worker crusade being waged by the Dangote Group against the Nigerian working class,’ Ajaero wrote in the memo.

‘The ongoing battle with PENGASSAN and NUPENG is merely a symptom of a deeper sickness, a capitalist pathology of union-busting, worker enslavement, and gross impunity that defines the Group’s industrial relations strategy.’

The NLC further accused the Dangote Group of behaving like ‘a state within a state,’ alleging that the company had repeatedly violated Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, flouted International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98, and treated national labour laws with ‘utter disdain.’

Ajaero described the company’s operations as sites of exploitation rather than legitimate workplaces.

‘Their facilities are not workplaces but plantations of exploitation, where the dignity of the worker is systematically crushed to maximise profit for the few,’ he declared.

‘The time for pleading and endless, fruitless dialogue is over. The moment for decisive, collective action is now,’ he said.

Declaring the start of a new phase of confrontation, the NLC placed all its affiliates on immediate and full alert. Ajaero instructed unions to launch a comprehensive unionisation drive targeting every Dangote facility in the country, calling it a ‘strategic priority.’

‘You are requested to commence, with immediate effect, preparation for a vigorous and comprehensive unionisation of all workers within every Dangote Group facility falling under your jurisdiction,’ the memo read.

The congress further ordered the establishment of Action Mobilisation Committees in every affiliate union. These committees are to engage directly with the NLC National Secretariat within 72 hours to harmonise strategy, logistics, and communications.

Ajaero emphasised that the ultimate goal of the campaign is to force the conglomerate to respect workers’ fundamental rights.

‘This action aims to compel the Dangote Group to unconditionally respect the right of every worker to freely join a union of their choice, cease all forms of intimidation and union-busting activities, and submit to the authority of our nation’s labour laws and institutions,’ he said.

NLC also accused the Dangote Group of leveraging its economic power to escape regulatory oversight and accountability, alleging that key government agencies have been compromised.

‘The impunity of the Dangote Group must be met with the resistance of organised labour,’ Ajaero asserted.

‘No amount of media propaganda or paid hirelings will stop us from fighting for our liberty in the face of apparent regulatory capture, where the state seems to have abdicated its responsibility to hold this behemoth accountable.’

Court stops PENGASSAN, others from cutting gas supply to Dangote Refinery

This was just as Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Subilim of the National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja on Monday restrained PENGASSAN from embarking on its planned industrial action against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE.

Justice Subilim, in a ruling on an ex-parte application filed by Dangote Refinery on Monday, specifically restrained the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL), Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum, and the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, who are defendants in the suit, from cutting crude and gas supply to Dangote Refinery.

George Ibrahim, SAN, from Ogwu James Onoja law firm in Abuja, argued the application on behalf of the plaintiff and secured the order against the defendants.

The senior lawyer in the ex-parte motion applied for an order of interim injunction restraining the 1st defendant, its members, agents, servants, privies, representatives, assigns or whatsoever and howsoever called from calling or directing the halt of crude and gas supply to the claimant under any guise and/or embarking on any industrial action against the claimant with a view to crippling, blocking roads, or obstructing the flow of vehicular movement, shutting down operations of the claimant or licensees of the 2nd to 4th defendants named in the 1st defendant directives dated September 26, 2025, or by any means frustrating the businesses/activities of the claimant/applicant pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.

He applied for ‘an order of interim injunction restraining the 2nd-4th defendants, their employees, members, agents, servants, privies, representatives, licensees, assigns or whatsoever and howsoever called from giving effect to the directives of the 1st defendant to halt the supply of crude and gas to the claimant or joining, continuing, embarking on, or in any manner participating in the planned industrial action of the 1st defendant and its affiliates and cronies or any other strike whatsoever against the claimant/applicant with a view to frustrating her businesses and operations pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.’

Ibrahim argued that the applicant is a petroleum production and/or distribution company licensed to own, operate and produce petroleum and petrochemical products for the general consumption of the Nigerian public, and whose business provides essential services to the Nigerian economy and the general public.

He said, in recent times, there have been incidents of sabotage by some employees of the claimant at the claimant’s plant which sprang up issues of grave health concern and safety of human lives.

According to him, the management of the claimant came to an irresistible conclusion that there should be reorganisation in the plant which led to relieving some of its staff of their employment, and same was communicated to all staff by a memo or circular dated 25th September, 2025.

The senior lawyer said, in the early hours of Friday, the 26th day of September 2025, the claimant received online reports that Nigerian workers were laid off by the claimant because they joined the 1st defendant’s union.

According to him, the management of the claimant by a press statement refuted the said report and explained in clear terms that the claimant was not averse to its members unionising as that is their constitutional right. However, he clarified that the claimant has over 3,000 Nigerians in its workforce and that only a negligible number of staff were affected by the reorganisation of the plant as a result of sabotage and safety concerns.

The lawyer asserted that by a letter dated September 26, 2025 and circulated online, the 1st defendant, through its General Secretary, Comrade Lamumbalghotemu Okugbawa, wrote to the Hon. Minister of Petroleum, Gas and warned that the 1st defendant and its members were going to take action that would force the claimant to its knees if the claimant failed to recall the affected staff, which was described in the said letter as over 800.

‘The 1st defendant issued a press statement on the 26th day of September, 2025 wherein it erroneously referred to the laying off of the workers by the claimant as anti-labour practices, alleging that the workers were being victimised because they joined the 1st defendant as members of the union, which is not correct.

‘Irrespective of the explanation offered by the claimant in Exhibit DR3, the 1st defendant became more provoked and directed its Executives and Members in the licensees of the 2nd-4th defendants through whom the claimant accesses crude and gas for its plant to stop supplying gas to the claimant.

‘The 2nd-4th defendants are on standby to carry out the directives of the 1st defendant through their agents and licensees as mentioned in Exhibit DR6 with a view to stopping the supply of gas and crude oil to the claimant in order to halt its business and operation as threatened unless the Honourable Court intervenes.’

‘The 1st Defendant is going to make good its threat to shut down operations of the Claimant knowing the strength of its membership across the country unless the Honourable Court intervenes.

‘The 1st Defendant, its members and protegees in the services of the 2nd to 4th Defendants have perfected plans to embark on an industrial action which will cripple the operations and services of the Claimant to the Nigerian public as well as the economy.

‘The 1st Defendant has not engaged the Claimant with respect to a dispute, if any, before championing and calling for an industrial action against the Claimant contrary to the extant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’

In his brief ruling on the ex-parte application, Justice Subilim held that the balance of convenience is in favour of the Applicants as the continuation of the strike would irreparably damage its business and cripple the provision of essential services to the Nigerian public.

The judge held that it was in the interest of justice for the Court to restrain the Respondents to preserve industrial peace and further aid the continuous provision of essential services to the Nigerian public pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Justice Subilim, while granting the restraining order, directed that same be served on the defendants immediately along with motion on notice, adding that the restraining order shall last for seven days only and subsequently fixed October 13 for hearing of the motion on notice.

Meanwhile, the conciliation meeting at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, to resolve the faceoff was still ongoing as at the time of filing this report.

The meeting, held at the Ministry of Labour and Employment conference room in Abuja, was chaired by the minister.

Also in attendance were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Dr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; top officials from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources; the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Engineering Matters; and senior representatives of key oil and gas regulatory agencies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

Speaking at the opening of the talks, Dingyadi underscored the gravity of the situation, describing the strike by PENGASSAN as one of significant national concern.

He admitted that the government initially underestimated the scale of the industrial action until it became clear that the strike had spread beyond Dangote Refinery to affect other critical oil and gas operations, including those of the NNPC.

‘What is happening today is very dear to this country, very dear to our economy, and very dear to the security of our nation,’ Dingyadi said. ‘We didn’t know the magnitude of this strike. Initially, we thought it was just about Dangote Refinery, but we have now been informed that it has extended to affect NNPC and other subsidiaries in the oil and gas industry.’

The minister commended PENGASSAN for its longstanding record as a constructive and peaceful union, emphasizing that the group has historically demonstrated deep commitment to the growth and stability of Nigeria’s economy.

‘PENGASSAN has always been very peaceful, and we know for a very long time they have never done this kind of thing,’ he stated. ‘We consider them as friends and as people who wish this country well. Their action must be understood as a reflection of deep concerns that deserve urgent and sincere attention.’

Dingyadi assured Nigerians that President Bola Tinubu is closely monitoring the situation and is deeply concerned about its potential impact on citizens.

He stressed that the government’s intervention is focused on preventing the crisis from escalating into a national emergency, particularly in ways that would negatively affect ordinary people.

‘We want to make sure that this face-off is not extended to the ordinary citizens of the country,’ Dingyadi added. ‘That is why we are taking urgent steps to act as conciliators, to resolve this issue amicably for the good of our workers, our economy, and the spirit of our nation.’

From BlockDAG’s presale dominance and BWT Alpine Formula 1® Team partnership to established names like Polkadot, Cardano, and Chainlink, there’s a mix of fresh energy and proven strength. Each project offers something unique. The big question is which of these can bring both short-term excitement and long-term value. Let’s break them down one by one and see why each of these coins deserves a closer look right now.

1. BlockDAG (BDAG): Utility Meets Culture

BlockDAG has become the project people can’t stop talking about. With a presale price of just $0.0013 per BDAG, it has already raised $415 million, including $40 million in the last month alone. More than 312,000 unique holders are on board, while 3 million people mine BDAG daily through the X1 mobile app. Add 20,000 X-Series miners sold across 130 countries.

The hype is now supercharged by its multi-year partnership with the BWT Alpine Formula 1® Team. This deal means fan simulators, on-track activations, hackathons, and digital integrations are all powered by BlockDAG tech. Few crypto projects have managed to partner with global sports on this level, providing them with exposure to millions outside the usual crypto circles. That’s why many traders see BDAG as a promising opportunity.

The Awakening Testnet is also a game-changer. Instead of waiting until mainnet, BlockDAG is already stress-testing account abstraction, miner integration, vesting contracts, and EIP-4337 groundwork in a public rollout. This ‘Mainnet Prequel’ shows exactly how the system works before launch. For anyone watching top crypto coins, the mix of cultural reach and technical delivery makes BlockDAG (BDAG) the one that feels like it has both speed and staying power.

2. Polkadot (DOT): Interoperability in Action

Polkadot remains a key crypto for interoperability, enabling multiple parachains to run in parallel and communicate seamlessly. This cross-chain design remains relevant despite newer competitors, as it simplifies transfers and data movement, two major hurdles in Web3. As of September 2025, DOT trades near $5.02, far below its 2021 peak but viewed as a consolidation rather than a collapse.

Analysts highlight parachain auctions and steady developer activity as proof of resilience. If the adoption of cross-chain apps expands, Polkadot could benefit as an early leader. Its long-term value depends on whether those applications gain meaningful scale and real-world traction.

3. Cardano (ADA): Steady but Searching

Cardano is known for its slow, research-driven approach, emphasizing academic rigor over flashy launches. As of September 23, 2025, ADA trades near $0.37, showing stability after earlier corrections. Support has held, while developers focus on identity, governance, and sustainability. The challenge is proving this careful strategy leads to real adoption.

Source- CoinGecko

Cardano’s community remains among the most loyal, with high staking participation, but questions persist regarding its commercial use. Many investors view ADA as a long-term investment, expecting rewards once larger projects are implemented. For those seeking top crypto coins grounded in research, Cardano still holds promise but needs stronger growth.

4. Chainlink (LINK): Data Feeds and DeFi Power

Chainlink remains vital to crypto as the leading decentralized oracle network, connecting smart contracts with real-world data such as prices, weather, and sports results. Its role underpins DeFi at scale, keeping LINK central in institutional discussions and exchange listings. Currently trading at $21.83, LINK has pulled back from August highs but holds support near $21.

Analysts expect a breakout above $25-27 to retest $30 soon, potentially. Exchange balances are at their lowest since 2022, showing reduced selling pressure and whale accumulation. With DeFi and real-world assets expanding, Chainlink is viewed as essential infrastructure rather than hype-driven speculation.

Which of the Top Crypto Coins Feels Strongest?

Examining these four projects side by side, each has distinct strengths. Polkadot continues to push interoperability as its key advantage, Cardano holds firm with a research-first approach, and Chainlink remains the backbone of decentralized data. All three are important to watch, and each can deliver gains depending on how their ecosystems develop over the next cycle.

However, the project drawing the most attention right now is BlockDAG. With a presale that has already raised $415M, a BWT Alpine Formula 1® Team partnership bringing mainstream visibility, and a testnet that is already rolling out features most chains only deliver after launch, it is building momentum faster than its peers. For buyers wondering which of the top crypto coins, BlockDAG is the one that could turn early support into outsized rewards.

The Mbayongu community in Kaamem, Manya area council of Takum LGA, Taraba, has condemned the arrest of its district head, Zaki Terkura Kugba, by operatives of the Nigerian Army led by Sgt. Yohana Emmanuel of Ada Barracks, Takum.

Residents told Nigerian Tribune that soldiers stormed the community on Saturday morning, assaulting locals and breaking into homes before seizing the traditional ruler, his motorcycle, and a tricycle.

A youth leader, James Tyona, said the monarch was attending a meeting with community leaders in a nearby village when he was informed of the soldiers’ presence.

‘They invaded our community, beat people indiscriminately, and took away Zaki Terkura Kugba. On sighting him, they started beating him before Sgt. Emmanuel intervened,’ Tyona alleged.

According to him, the soldiers claimed they were acting on intelligence that a suspected terrorist known as JC was in the area to collect ‘taxes.’

He, however, insisted that no criminal or incriminating evidence was found.

Tyona described the monarch as a strong supporter of security efforts, noting that criminals had repeatedly threatened him for frustrating their operations.

‘It’s shocking that the Army arrested the same man who has been using his personal resources to support security agencies. The criminals are already celebrating his arrest and have sent us fresh threats demanding ?20 million in taxes before October 3,’ he said.

The community appealed to the Chief of Army Staff, the Commander of 6 Brigade, Jalingo, and Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas to intervene and secure Kugba’s release, warning that the area risked falling under the control of bandits.

When contacted, Sgt. Yohana Emmanuel confirmed the operation but declined to explain why the monarch was arrested. Efforts to reach Lt. Umar Muhammad, Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade Jalingo, were unsuccessful as calls and messages went unanswered.

The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) on Tuesday said it averted a nationwide blackout after the national grid experienced significant generation shortfalls due to industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

NISO, established in 2024 as part of the restructuring mandated by the Electricity Act of 2023, manages Nigeria’s national grid and electricity market operations independently of grid infrastructure development. Its core mandate is to function as an impartial and independent entity responsible for system and market operations within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

To avert a total system collapse, the agency said it rolled out emergency measures, including ramping up hydropower generation, real-time load balancing, and selective load shedding. It added that available generation dropped from over 4,300 MW to about 3,200 MW at its lowest point due to gas supply disruptions.

NISO explained that it urgently deployed contingency measures to preserve the stability, security, and reliability of the national grid. These included hydropower optimisation, generation dispatch, load balancing, voltage and frequency support, and demand-side management.

‘The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) wishes to notify the public of recent major generation shortfalls on the National Grid, caused by industrial actions of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) within the gas supply chain.

‘These disruptions triggered widespread gas shortages, reducing available generation from over 4,300 MW in the early hours of Sunday, 28th September 2025, to about 3,200 MW at the lowest point.

‘Selective load shedding was applied as a last resort to avert a system-wide collapse and ensure fair power distribution. These timely actions enabled the NISO NCC to minimise the impact of the labour-induced gas shortages, sustain operational security, and maintain supply to critical loads, thereby averting a nationwide blackout,’ the statement read.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to proactive grid management, operational excellence, and the adoption of best-in-class practices to ensure a secure and reliable electricity supply for the nation.

CAMEROON is heading toward its October 2025 presidential election, but what is unfolding feels less like a campaign and more like a tragic play. At the centre of this spectacle is President Paul Biya, one of the world’s longest-serving leaders, who is barely present. Instead of the man himself, his supporters display giant portraits of his face. These posters are not just unusual campaign tools; they are a shameless admission of reality. At 92, Biya is largely absent from the daily life of his nation, and his portrait has become the ultimate symbol of a government that clings to the image of power while abandoning the real work of leadership.

The sight of campaigners waving his posters through dusty streets raises more questions than answers. Where is the president? Why does he not appear before his people to share his vision for the future? The truth is an open secret. Biya spends long stretches in Geneva, Switzerland, and rarely appears in public at home. His rare appearances are tightly controlled, serving only to remind citizens of his absence. He is now the world’s oldest Head of State, and his campaign by proxy shouts the question his regime refuses to answer: if he cannot campaign, how can he govern?

This silence is no accident. The ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) treats the president’s health as a state secret, forbidding open discussion. This censorship is not about protecting Biya but about protecting the system around him. By avoiding public debate, the regime prevents any real conversation about succession. The campaign, run through sanitised social media posts and official statements, is less about engaging citizens than about instructing them to accept the status quo. In Cameroon’s tightly controlled political space, the people are expected to obey rather than be heard. The real force behind Biya’s re-election bid is fear, not hope. His inner circle, who have benefited from his 42 years in power, know that only his presence keeps their competing ambitions in check. By keeping him in office, they delay an inevitable power struggle. The portrait campaign is therefore less about the future of Cameroon and more about preserving the privileges of a small elite. For the country’s youth, who have never known another leader, it is a painful message that their future must remain on hold for the sake of an aging regime.

The cost of this long rule is visible everywhere. Important decisions are delayed, state institutions stagnate, and frustration grows among citizens who live with the consequences of an absentee president. Leadership demands presence, and Biya’s absence has crippled governance and slowed national development. Yet this campaign of portraits may also be exposing cracks in the regime’s armor. Former allies and ministers have begun to break away, and in a dramatic gesture, Biya’s own daughter, Brenda Biya, has reportedly denounced his endless hold on power on social media, urging Cameroonians to reject him. This is not the behaviour of a confident political dynasty but of one unraveling under the weight of its own excess.

For the opposition, this moment is a rare chance. If they can put aside personal rivalries and unite, they can rally citizens around a simple but powerful contrast: the choice between a living, accountable leader and the rule of a portrait. Ultimately, Cameroon must face a question it has avoided for decades: has the presidency become a lifetime throne? The endless cycle of re-election, now reduced to campaigning with posters instead of a candidate, makes a mockery of democracy. It turns the sacred act of voting into a hollow ritual.

The image of Paul Biya held high in the streets is more than a campaign tool. It is a mirror reflecting a country at a crossroads. It shows a system that has traded vitality for frailty, engagement for silence, and the future for the past. This campaign of portraits is a campaign of shame. The time for illusions is over. Cameroon must now choose reality over a picture.

‘When I set out to join the race to become the Olubadan, I was focusing on how to become the Olubadan and the only crown I want to wear is that of Olubadan of Ibadanland.’

Oba Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, spoke these immortal words on June 28, 2023. Two years, two months and two days later, Oba Ladoja was crowned the Olubadan, on Friday, September 26, 2025.

The elders of our land say when the snail sticks tenaciously to the tree, it will climb it to the top (Ìgbín tenu mó igi, ó gùn ún d’ókè). Oba Ladoja, who in 2017 fought the late Governor Ajibola Ajimobi of Oyo State to a standstill over the balkanisation of the Olubadan throne, equally rose in 2023 to challenge the crowning of Ibadan High Chiefs as obas by the government of Governor Seyi Makinde.

Governor Makinde, a fellow Ibadan man like the late Ajimobi, had, through the Amended Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration, approved the elevation of 11 Ibadan High Chiefs to beaded-crown obas. Ladoja, who then was the Otun Olubadan, saw the matter differently.

Holding on to the ancient tradition of Ibadanland, the then Otun Olubadan, who was also a former governor of the state and a former senator, quipped: ‘You don’t mend what is not broken. I don’t think it is right to make high chiefs Obas. The only crown I want to wear is the Olubadan crown. Everybody knows that it is God who makes one an Oba. As far as I am concerned, it is not proper for high chiefs to wear crowns. My intention is to become Olubadan.’

He held to that position and boycotted the July 7, 2023, crowning of the remaining 10 chiefs, namely; Balogun of Ibadanland, Owolabi Olakulehin; Otun Balogun, Tajudeen Ajibola; Osi Olubadan, Eddy Oyewole; Osi Balogun, Lateef Adebimpe; Ashipa Olubadan, Biodun Kola-Daisi; Ashipa Balogun, Kola Adegbola; Ekerin Olubadan, Hamidu Ajibade; Ekerin Balogun, Olubunmi Isioye; Ekarun Olubadan; Bayo Akande and Ekarun Balogun, Abiodun Azeez, by the then Olubadan, Oba Lekan Balogun.

That action by Oba Ladoja, set Ibadan on the edge. The debate was severe in the public place. Those who know Governor Makinde very well vouched for his stubbornness. They were ready to swear that nothing would make the governor shift ground.

A senior journalist told me then that ‘Seyi Makinde kìí se eran rírò (he is not a soft meat). You see, when he tells you: òrò yìí ò dè rí béè (this matter is not as you think), forget it; he has made up his mind. Ladoja will have to accept the crown if he wants to be Olubadan.’ I was alarmed.

I asked another Ibadan man about the solution. His response was not encouraging. According to him: ‘Baba Ladoja is not being stubborn, as many people believe. He is just trying to say, ‘don’t let us bastardise Ibadan culture’. I pray that he will listen to those who are close to him because Baba himself is as stubborn as Seyi Makinde.’

The die was cast. Oba Lekan Balogun joined his ancestors on March 14, 2024. Oba Owolabi Olakulehin was crowned Olubadan on July 12, 2024. Ladoja moved up to the second-in rank as the Otun Olubadan. Then Governor Makinde, true to his identikit as a man of strong will, decided to make public the published Amended Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration at the coronation of Oba Olakulehin on July 12, 2024.

The tension at the arena heightened; it was palpable. Nobody was in doubt that Ladoja was the target. The Declaration is a simple matter. For anyone to become Olubadan, he must have been a beaded crown-wearing oba. The gazetted paper was freely shared at Olakulehin’s coronation. The implication is that Ladoja could no longer claim ignorance of its existence.

Who would blink first? Ibadan is a city which answers the name, Agbotikuyo (he who rejoices at the death of another). They are not wicked people, mind you. It is just their tradition. When an Olubadan passes on, all the chiefs on the line to the throne are happy. Why? The death of an Olubadan is a promotion for each of the remaining chiefs. Ladoja had waited for over three decades to be Olubadan. Oba Olakulehin was old and frail at his coronation. But for the tenacity of Ladoja himself, the ascension of Olakulehin was almost truncated. Now, an amended chieftaincy declaration stood between him and his ambition!

Many were worried. Yours sincerely, inclusive. I am not from Ibadan. But I wanted Ladoja as Olubadan. Not for any other reason but for the fact that he stood to be counted among those who wanted our culture preserved. The late Ajimobi, I stand to be corrected, had no reason to do what he did in 2017 over the Olubadan throne.

Ibadan, in the entire Yorubaland, I dare say, is the only town that upholds the tradition of seamless succession procedure. Though conservative compared to the ‘modern-day’ thinking, the Olubadan chieftaincy legacy is a demonstration that Africans have a perfect sense of what is right and just, and uncommon fidelity with justice and fairness. Once a man joins the line to the Olubadan throne either through the Balogun or the civilian line, only death can stand in his way. So, why would anybody tamper with that smooth process? We will never understand how our politicians think!

Will Ladoja ever become Olubadan of Ibadanland given the new law in place and his promise not to wear any other crown apart from that of Olubadan? If he failed to, Ibadan’s smooth process of ascension would be gone forever. Ibadan being the last man standing, so to say, in matters of enthronement, and with Ifa and other kingmakers dancing ijo yoyo all over the place, the sanctity of thrones in Yorubaland was gravely threatened!

The Igbo say: ‘When a man says yes, his chi says yes also’ (Onye kwe chi ya ekewe). The saying is a testament to the power of positive thinking. The legend, Chinua Achebe, projected the saying in his classic, Things Fall Apart, to demonstrate that with the tenacity of purpose, a man can achieve anything he desires. Fortunes don’t come cheap. Achebe was both right and great in the imagery of a man’s willpower and the approval of the Cosmic in terms of the man’s destiny.

Did the literary icon, Achebe, have Ladoja in mind when he used the above saying to depict the character of Okonkwo, the tragic hero of Things Fall Apart in 1958? Will Ladoja ever become Olubadan if he held on to his stance of not accepting a crown before the crown? Yet, the multi-billionaire politician insisted that he would be Olubadan! As how, in the manner of our street lingo?

Reason prevailed. The Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Ladoja, on Sunday, August 4, 2024, announced that he would accept the beaded crown. He said so while appearing on the Ibadan-based Fresh FM Radio programme, Agbami Oselu, He added that he would be doing that in deference to prominent Ibadan sons and daughters and other well-meaning Nigerians who appealed to him. There again, he declared: ‘By the grace of God, I will become Olubadan. Anyone God destined to become Olubadan will become Olubadan, no matter the obstacles placed in their way.’ We heaved a sigh of relief!

On August 12, 2024, Ladoja ended the seven-year-old controversy over the Olubadan chieftaincy matter as he was elevated to a beaded-crown wearing oba by the late Oba Olakulehin. Incidentally, the elevation of Ladoja was the first official duty of Oba Olakulehin. The relief across Yorubaland after that historical event was palpable! Ibadan, once again, rose to the occasion as the defender of Yoruba unity.

So, when on Friday, September, 26, 2025, all the people of Ibadan gathered at the historic Mapo Hill to crown Oba Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja, the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, the entire Yoruba race rose to salute the courage, the goodwill and the strength of Ibadan people at upholding the culture of fairness and justice handed over to them by the founders of the west Africa’s largest city!

As a Yoruba man, if anyone had ridden a horse in my stomach last Friday, there would have been no stumbling. I was not just happy for Oba Ladoja and the people of Ibadan; I was happy for the entire Yoruba Race. A ségun òtá, a r’éhìn odì (we conquered the enemy; we prevailed against perversity)!

Ibadan people would never appreciate what they have done to the Yoruba race by preserving that age-long culture of succession to the Olubadan throne. Governor Makinde, who had to cut short his annual leave to attend the ceremony and personally perform the tradition of presentation of staff of office to the new monarch has equally recorded his name in the history of the race. The owners of the day and night will endow him with the wisdom to review that needless declaration.

Oba Ladoja’s tenacity of purpose is a study in self-worth. It is an act and art commended to everyone who desires that which is good. For a man who had waited for over three decades and almost lost the precious prize, one needs no further evidence to show that power, of a truth, belongs to God! We have no doubt that the new Olubadan of Ibadanland understands what Kim Tan The Heirs, the wealthy heir to the Korean conglomerate, Jeguk Group, means, when he posits: ‘The one who wants to wear the crown, must bear its weight.’

In all the battles he has fought in politics, business and in upholding the tradition of his people, Olubadan Ladoja has demonstrated that William Shakespear was right in his postulation that, ‘My crown is in my heart, not my head’ (Henry VI). It is indeed the content of the heart that makes a monarch who he is. In and out, Oba Ladoja has demonstrated that his is a heart of gold.

At his coronation on Friday, he told the entire world that he would not be an Olubadan for the people of Ibadanland alone. The entire Yorubaland, nay, the Black Race, he assured, would be his constituency. Looking back at his journey in life, Oba Ladoja declared: ‘There is nothing else I am looking for in life. Yesterday, I clocked 81. Some people do not have this privilege. So, I recognise that the fact that God spared me till date, what remains is to serve every resident of Ibadan, serve Oyo State, serve Yorubaland, serve Nigeria and Africa, to the best of my ability.’

I believe Kabiyesi Olubadan will pursue that goal with the same tenacity of purpose. He is, like Robert Greene, the American author, who says great men ‘Do not wait for a coronation; the greatest emperors crown themselves.’ Indeed, Oba Ladoja crowned himself long ago through his fidelity with the tradition of his people. We hope, again, like Greene posits that as the king has placed the crown upon his head, he has assumed, ‘a different post-tranquil yet radiating assurance. Never show doubt, never lose your dignity beneath the crown..’

Olubadan Ladoja cannot but radiate joy. He cannot but demonstrate confidence. He is a man who has seen it all. From the classrooms to the boardrooms, from the legislative chamber to the Government House; from the Government House to the courtrooms and from the courtrooms back to the government House and finally the Palace of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja is the quintessential figure of the English writer and theologian, William Penn (October 14, 1644-July 30, 1718), who says: ‘No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.’ That is Oba Ladoja in words!

Kabiyesi, now that you have obtained that which you most desired, holding on to your abiding faith in your creator and the triumph of good over evil, we can only pray as Oodua Atewonro decreed in the ancient Ode Aro, at the coronation of their oba thus: Kí e gbó gbó Olúyèyèntuyè/Kí e gbó gbó Olúyèyèntuyè/Kí e gbó gbó Olúogbó/Ìrùkèrè á di abéré/ Èé je ju ará iwájú?/ Èé je kù f’érò èhín. May your reign be peaceful! Àse!!