Oba Oloyede Fadina: Dethroned Olota of Ota who Later Went into Car Sale Business

One of the worst things that can befall a king is for him to be dethroned and exiled. That was the fate of Oba Timothy Oloyede Fadina, Olagoroye II, the vibrant Olota of Ota (modern-day Ogun State) in 1954.

Olota Fadina was crowned in 1949. He had 10 wives and many children. But he only spent five years on the throne before he was dethroned.

He was so wisdom-filled and forward-looking that some media men called him the ‘mighty Olota of Ota’.

In this rare photo of him and some of his children taken by Drum in March, 1964, he was described as “plain Timothy Fadina who sells motor cars in Lagos on commission.” He was no longer the Olota.

WHY HE WAS DETHRONED
There are different versions as to the reason for his removal, but these all boils down to two allegations:

I: Unremitted taxes
II. Fear that he was becoming bigger than the powers that be.

Now, tales have it that there were powers that did not want him on the throne right from the start. These powers had someone else in mind for the throne. They, thus, continued to source for ways to get him off the seat.

Then, there was the issue of his meeting with the Awori kings. That meeting gave his opponents the opportunity. They alleged that he was planning something sinister and looking to strengthen himself above the authorities. Some said he was alleged to have held the meeting so as to stop remitting taxes he collected on behalf of the government.

He was said to have been charged to court and later removed from office, an action many described as political because of the cold relationship that existed between him and the Western Regional government at that time.

It’s been difficult getting further information about what happened after he was dethroned.

Do you have the information? Please share it so that we all learn.

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