Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Wole Olanipekun, yesterday, called for a unified identity and common front among traditional rulers in the South-West, saying unity of purpose remained critical to the region’s cultural strength, stability and development.

Olanipekun made the call during a courtesy visit to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, at his Oke-Aremo Palace in Ibadan, where he urged the monarch to utilise his vast experience in public service and traditional leadership to foster cohesion among royal fathers in the region.

According to the legal luminary, the influence and relevance of traditional institutions in Yorubaland will be significantly enhanced if monarchs speak with one voice and avoid internal divisions that could weaken their collective authority.

He noted that Oba Ladoja occupies a strategic position among Yoruba traditional rulers, given the historical significance of Ibadan and the monarch’s personal trajectory as a former governor, senator and accomplished administrator.

According to him, Ibadan’s central role in defending the territorial integrity of Yorubaland during historic conflicts such as the Kiriji, Ijaiye and Jalumi wars, places a moral responsibility on the Olubadan to lead efforts at unifying traditional rulers across the region.

The SAN also referenced Oba Ladoja’s landmark legal battle following his impeachment as governor, describing the Supreme Court judgment that nullified the action of the Oyo State House of Assembly as a watershed in Nigeria’s constitutional development.

Responding, Oba Ladoja described Olanipekun as a foremost legal mind guided by the fear of God and commitment to justice, commending his contributions to the growth and integrity of the legal profession in Nigeria.

The Olubadan emphasised the urgent need for the speedy dispensation of justice in the country, lamenting the delays in court processes that he said had continued to discourage litigants and erode public confidence in the judiciary.

He also called for the elevation of more experienced legal practitioners from the Bar to the Bench, noting that such a move would strengthen the quality of judicial decisions and enhance public trust in the justice system.