Busted! Viral Photo Of Obasanjo Bowing To Ladoja Exposed As Fake

A digitally altered image making rounds on social media, purporting to show former President Olusegun Obasanjo prostrating before Olubadan-designate and former Oyo State Governor Rashidi Ladoja, has been confirmed as fake.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The photo, which went viral on platforms like Facebook, (formerly Twitter), and WhatsApp, allegedly captured Obasanjo bowing before Ladoja during a recent visit to Ibadan, supposedly in anticipation of Ladoja’s coronation as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland.

Several posts sharing the image were captioned with messages such as “nobody knows tomorrow,” alluding to Obasanjo’s role in Ladoja’s controversial impeachment in 2006 during the former president’s tenure under the PDP.

One user on X wrote:

“What a lesson in life! Former President Obasanjo by his power impeached Pa Ladoja then. Today, the former governor is the next king of Ibadan. Now, he paid him a home visit and prostrated before the then-governor that he impeached. Lesson: Power doesn’t last long.”

Ladoja, who was elected governor in 2003, was impeached in January 2006 but later reinstated in December of that year by the Supreme Court. He completed his term in 2007.

Fact Check: Signs of Digital Forgery

A detailed analysis by TheCable uncovered multiple signs of photo manipulation:

• The neck region of the seated figure does not match the body, and a misaligned necklace suggests digital overlay.

• The face of the prostrating figure is blurry and lacks resemblance to Obasanjo.

• Inconsistencies in lighting and proportion on both sides of the seated figure’s head further confirm the image is a blend of different individuals.

Further investigation revealed that the original image used in the doctored photo was taken from a September 24, 2024, Facebook post by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde. The post featured a tribute to Ladoja on his 80th birthday. The seated image of Ladoja was cropped and inserted into a different background to construct the false narrative.

Another variation of the photo with even more evident signs of editing has also surfaced online, reinforcing the conclusion that the image is fabricated.

To date, there is no verified report of any recent visit by Obasanjo to Ladoja following the passing of the 43rd Olubadan, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, on July 7.

The claim appears to be a work of social media imagination, driven by nostalgia and political sentiment rather than factual events.

Verdict: The viral photo suggesting Obasanjo prostrated before Ladoja is manipulated and misleading.