Rasheed (or Rashidi) Adewolu Ladoja,
Basic Profile
- Full Name: Rasidi (or Rashidi) Adewolu Ladoja
- Date of Birth: September 25, 1944
- Place of Birth: Gambari village near Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
- Education:
• Ibadan Boys High School (1958-1963)
• Olivet Baptist High School (1964-1965)
• University of Liège, Belgium — degree in Chemical Engineering (1966-1972)
Early & Professional Life
- After university, Ladoja worked with Total Nigeria for about 13 years, in various engineering roles.
- In 1985, he left formal employment to go into private business. His business interests have spanned shipping, manufacturing, banking, agriculture, transportation.
Political Career
- Served in the Senate during the short-lived Third Republic of Nigeria (1992-93) as a member of the Social Democratic Party.
- Elected Governor of Oyo State in 2003 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defeating Lam Adesina.
- His governorship was interrupted: he was impeached in January 2006, then reinstated later in December 2006 via a court decision, serving until May 2007.
Traditional / Chieftaincy Journey
- Ladoja comes from the civil line (Egbe Agba) in the Ibadan traditional hierarchy.
- He became Mogaji of the Arusa Compound, Isale-Osi, Ibadan in ~1991.
- He was installed as Jagun Olubadan on October 1, 1993 by then-Olubadan Yesufu Oloyede Asanike. That was his formal entry into the chieftaincy ladder with many steps ahead.
- Over decades, he steadily ascended the 22-step ladder through the Olubadan succession lines.
Ascension to Olubadan
- Following the death of the previous Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, on July 7, 2025, Ladoja, as the most senior chief of the civil (Otun) line, was nominated as Olubadan-designate.
- He was formally approved by the Oyo State Governor and coronated on September 26, 2025 as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.
Personality, Reputation & Legacy
- Ladoja is often praised for being patient, principled, and resilient — especially in light of political upheavals, impeachment, and traditional disruptions.
- He’s viewed as combining modern education, business acumen, political experience, and traditional authority.
- He is also recognized for defending the traditional chieftaincy system of Ibadan, resisting reforms that might compromise seniority or customary protocols.