Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja (b. September 25, 1944) is a Nigerian monarch. He is the 44th Olubadan in Ibadan. Before coming to the throne, Ladoja was a chief and politician who served as governor of Oyo State from 2003 to 2006, and again from 2006 to 2007, as well as Senator representing Oyo South from 1992 to 1993. Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State, officially accepted him as the 44th Olubadan-designate in August of 2025. His formal coronation ceremony took place on September 26, 2025, the day after his 81st birthday.
Who is Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja?
Ladoja was born on September 25, 1944, in Gambari Village, near Ibadan. He attended Ibadan Boys High School from 1958 to 1963 and Olivet Baptist High School from 1964 to 1965. He received a chemical engineering degree from the University of Liège in Belgium (1966-1972). He got a job with Total Nigeria, an oil corporation, where he worked for 13 years in various positions before venturing into private enterprise in 1985. His commercial interests include shipping, manufacturing, finance, agriculture, and transportation. By 2000, Ladoja had been appointed director of Standard Trust Bank Limited.
Career
He was elected to the Nigerian Senate as a member of the Social Democratic Party in 1992, during the country’s brief Third Republic. Ladoja was elected governor of Oyo State in April 2003 on the PDP platform and took office on May 29, 2003. He was backed by Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, a PDP power broker in the state.
By August 2004, Ladoja and Adedibu were fighting over the allotment of government appointees. Ladoja’s party did not support him in this disagreement. In a late 2005 interview, PDP national chairman Ahmadu Ali stated that Ladoja should follow Lamidi Adedibu’s directions.
On January 12, 2006, Oyo State legislators impeached Ladoja and pushed him out of office. His deputy, Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, was sworn in as the new governor. On November 1, 2006, the Appeal Court in Ibadan, the state capital, found the impeachment null and void, but suggested waiting for confirmation from the Supreme Court.
The decision was affirmed by the Supreme Court on November 11, 2006, and Ladoja resumed office on December 12, 2006. Anti-riot police were stationed along the main highways leading to the main government offices to prevent violence from supporters of Adebayo Alao-Akala and Lamidi Adedibu after his reinstatement.
Ladoja failed to secure the PDP nomination for a second term. He chose to support Action Congress candidates in 33 local council chairmanship elections. The PDP declined to participate in the elections. As a consequence, the Action Congress (AC) gained 26 seats, while the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) won 7. However, his replacement as governor, his former deputy and acting governor, Christopher Adebayo Akala, dismissed the council chairmen shortly after entering office and replaced them with PDP sympathizers.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detained Ladoja on August 28, 2008, on suspicion of non-remittance of N1.9 billion in revenues from the sale of government shares during his administration. On August 30, 2008, the Federal High Court in Lagos remanded him in prison. On September 5, he was granted bail for 100 million naira with two sureties. In March 2009, a former aide testified about how the share money was shared among Ladoja’s family, bodyguard, senior politicians, and lawyers.
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Ladoja was the Accord Party’s governorship candidate in Oyo State in the April 2011 and 2015 elections; however, he lost to Senator Abiola Ajimobi. He then merged his Accord Party with the PDP in 2017. A dispute in the PDP prompted him and several friends (from the Labour Party, the All Progressives Congress, and so on) to defect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in 2018.
After a brief stint in ADC, which proved to be a weird marriage of bedfellows, Ladoja and his supporters joined the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in December 2018. On August 12, 2024, Ladoja received a ceremonial beaded crown from the reigning Olubadan and the government of Oyo State, making him an Oba.
Following the death of Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, the 43rd Olubadan, Ladoja was named as the incoming Olubadan on July 7, 2025.
On August 21, 2025, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde formally approved Ladoja as the 44th Olubadan-designate, and a ceremonial coronation ceremony was scheduled for Friday, September 26, 2025 in Mapo Hall in the old city.
Rasheed Ladoja wife
Mrs. Bukola Ladoja, Rashidi’s wife, is an advocate for education and literacy in Nigeria. She formed the Reading Awareness Society for Development in Africa (RASDA) to encourage young people to cultivate a strong reading habit. Her campaign, “One Child, One Book, One Week,” focuses on addressing national challenges through the power of education and leadership, which she believes can be achieved by instilling a lifelong reading habit in young people. She emphasizes the importance of knowledge in developing effective leaders for the country.
Rasheed Ladoja children
Rashidi Ladoja has multiple children, including Grace and Sola Ladoja. Grace Ladoja, a music business star, had a child with rapper Teezee in 2021. She also spoke openly about her personal experiences, including having two abortions. Rashidi Ladoja’s son, Sola Ladoja, has also been in the spotlight, appearing alongside famous personalities such as Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Rashidi Ladoja Net Worth
Rashidi Ladoja is a successful businessman and politician who has amassed significant wealth over the years. His net worth is predicted to be around $7 million as of 2024, derived from his commercial and political endeavors.
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