A High Court in Ogbomoso Tuesday ordered parties involved in the processes of nomination and approval of a new Soun of Ogbomosoland to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the court.
This was sequel to an application by one of the contenders to the throne, Prince Kabir Muhammed Olaoye, challenging, in suit number HOG/27/2022, the processes for the emergence of the nominee of the kingmakers, Prince Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye, and among other prayers seeking an order of injunction against his approval by the Oyo state government and a repeat of the selection process.
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The 1st to 6th defendants in the case are the Oyo state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde; Oyo state attorney general; Oyo state commissioner for local government and chieftaincy matters; Ogbomoso North local government; Ogbomoso North Traditional Council; and the Mogaji of Olaoye family, Prince Amos Olawole Olaoye.
The 7th, 6th, 9th, 10th and 11th defendants are members of the kingmakers – Chief S. O. Otolorin (Areago of Ogbomosoland/chairman, kingmakers of Soun Chieftaincy Ogbomoso); Chief Salawu Ajadi (Jagun); Chief Tijani Abioye (Baara); Chief David Adeniran Ojo (Ikolaba); Chief Yusuf Kasali Oladipupo (Abese) while Pastor Afolabi Ghandi Oladunni Oladye (Soun nominee) is the 12th defendant.
After hearing the pleas of the counsels, the judge, Hon Justice K.A. Adedokun, granted an oral application by the counsel to Kabir Olaoye, Barrister Dapo Atanda, that “parties should maintain status quo without waiting for the order of the court.”
Atanda in his oral application argued that the 12 defendants refused to file memorandum of appearance and their statement of defence as required by law which is 30 days, noting it was over three months ago they had been served the process, “in that three months they were sleeping and snoring on the matter, refusing to join issue with us,” he therefore prayed the court for injunction against the approval of the nominee by the state government.
He alternatively requested for an undertaking by the counsel to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants, Mrs. Funmi Adebayo, to stay action in the process, which was however declined, who on the contrary prayed for an accelerated hearing on the matter.
As the legal envoy to the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 12th defendants, Kola Fatoye, whom Peter Idowu held brief for, did not oppose the oral application, Justice Adedokun though refusing the order of injunction, granted the application for status quo, “The applications of the Learned Counsel to the claimant are hereby granted as prayed.”
Continuing, he said, “All the parties in this suit are to maintain status quo (i.e. the position they were as at the date this suit was instituted).
“Also accelerated hearing of this matter is hereby ordered.”
The case is meanwhile adjourned till November 10, 2022, after the judge might have returned from leave.
ogbomosoinsightonline.com recalls that Ghandi Olaoye was selected by the kingmakers on March 22, 2022, following the transition of the former monarch, Oba Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III on December 12, 2021. The next day, his name was forwarded to the state government by the Ogbomoso North local government that supervised the process for approval.
However, the state governor, Makinde, on whose table the buck stops, has refused action on the matter since, raising great anxiety in the community, as his silence is perceived as ominous.
