FULL LIST: 43 Past Olubadan of Ibadanland

September 26, 2025 admin

The ‘Olubadan of Ibadanland’ is the royal title of Ibadan. Every Olubadan is groomed for decades through chieftaincy promotion on either Civil (Olubadan) or Military (Balogun) Lines before finally becoming king.

In 1897, the British established the Ibadan Town Council, whereby traditional chiefs served as administrators. Rulers of Ibadan were formally referred to as ‘Baale’ before 1936, when it was changed to ‘Olubadan.’

With the transformation to Olubadan in 1936, Ibadan came up with a unique Obaship system that has stood the test of time. There are two lines of ascension to the throne of Olubadan: the Civil Line and the Military Line. After clinching the title of Mogaji from one’s compound, a person has 22 stages to climb in the Civil Line and 23 in the Military Line, both starting from Jagun.

Whether as a Baale or Olubadan, the chieftaincy system in Ibadan has produced 43 kings. Lagelu, the founding hero of Ibadan, was the first king.
Below are the past Olubadan of Ibadanland:

1. Lagelu (1820)
2. Baale Maye Okunade (1820-1826)
3. Baale Oluyedun Labosinde (1826-1830)
4. Baale Lakanle (1830-1835)
5. Basorun Oluyole Ojaba (1835-1850)
6. Baale Oderinlo Opeagbe (1850-1851)
7. Baale Oyesile Olugbode (1851-1864)
8. Basorun Ibikunle (1864-1865)
9. Basorun Ogunmola (1865-1867)
10. Balogun Beyioku Akere (1867-1870)
11. Baale Orowusi (1870-1871)
12. Aare Latoosa (1871-1885)
13. Balogun Ajayi Osungbekun (1885-1893)
14. Baale Fijabi I (1893-1895)
15. Baale Osuntoki Olusun (1895-1897)
16. Basorun Fajimi (1897-1902)
17. Baale Mosaderin Sunlehinmi (1902-1904)
18. Baale Dada Opadare (1904-1907)
19. Basorun Sunmonu Apanpa (1907-1910)
20. Baale Akintayo Awanibaku (1910-1912)
21. Baale Irefin (1912-1914)
22. Baale Shittu (1914-1925)
23. Baale Oyewole Aiyejenku (1925-1930)
24. Olubadan Okunola Abass Alesinloye (1930-1946)
25. Olubadan Fagbinrin Akere II (1946)
26. Olubadan Oyetunde I (1946)
27. Olubadan Akintunde Bioku (1947-1948)
28. Olubadan Fijabi II (1948-1952)
29. Olubadan Memudu Alli (1952)
30. Olubadan Igbintade (1952-1955)
31. Oba Isaac Babalola Akinyele (1955-1964)
32. Oba Yesufu Kobiowu (1964)
33. Oba Salawu Akanbi Aminu (1965-1971)
34. Oba Shittu Akintola Oyetunde II (1971-1976)
35. Oba Gbadamosi Akanbi Adebimpe (1976-1977)
36. Oba Daniel Tayo Akinbiyi (1977-1982)
37. Oba Yesufu Oloyede Asanike (1983-1993)
38. Oba Emmanuel Adegboyega Operinde (1993-1999)
39. Oba Yinusa Ogundipe Arapasowu I (1999-2007)
40. Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I (2007-2016)
41. Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji (2016-2022)
42. Oba Lekan Balogun (2022-2024)
43. Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakulehin (2024-2025)