Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III, the Soun of Ogbomosoland, has prevailed in the Ibadan Appeal Court. Today’s ruling put a stop to the legal battle, suit No. HOG/27/2022, which was started in the third quarter of 2023.
Prince Muhammad Kabiru Olaoye’s charges against the Soun, which he won at the High Court, were dismissed by the Appeal Court in the ruling minutes ago, confirming Oba Ghandi’s status as the Soun.
Oba Ghandi’s father was not buried at the Abata burial site of former Obas, and the accusation that he was not a direct son of a previous Soun was dropped.
Additionally, the Appeal Court maintained that the kingmakers had legitimately chosen Oba Ghandi.
As a result, the respondent was fined N500,000 (five hundred thousand for each accusation).
Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye and the Oyo state government filed the appeal in response to a court decision that declared the latter’s appointment as the Soun of Ogbomosoland to be void.
On October 25, 2023, Hon. Justice K. A. Adedokun rendered a decision in the case at the High Court in Ogbomoso.
In Prince Muhammed Kabir Olaoye v. The Governor of Oyo State and 11 Others, Justice Adedokun ruled that the nomination process for the 12th defendant, the Soun of Ogbomoso, was “irregular, null and void” because it did not strictly adhere to the terms of the Soun Chieftaincy Declaration of 1958.
The same judge, Adedokun, who was appointed by Prince Taofeeq Akorede Olaoye and who also challenged Oba Olaoye’s nomination in a related matter, HOG/20/2023, rendered a decision on October 3 that declared the process to be “right, valid, and proper.”
On behalf of Oyo State’s Executive Governor, Engineer Oluseyi Makinde, Attorney General and Hon. Commissioner of Justice, Oyo State, and Hon. Commissioner Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matter, Akin Onigbinde SAN and Co. filed the appeal in Ibadan on October 27, 2023.
The appeal requests a retrial before a different Oyo State High Court judge or an order reversing the trial court’s October 25th judgment.
The trial judge made a mistake in his argument, and the judgment of October 25, 2023, went against the weight of the evidence presented to the Honorable Court, according to the six grounds of appeal.
Among the responders are S. A. Mohammed, Esq., Mohammed & Mohammed & Co., Oladapo Atanda, Esq. of Dapo Atanda’s Chambers, Ogbomoso North Local Government, Kinnira, Ogbomoso, and the Traditional Council of Ogbomoso North, Kinnira, Ogbomoso. Chief Samuel Otolorin JP, Chief Salawu Ajadi, Chief Tijani Abioye, Chief David Adeniran Ojo, Pastor Afolabi Ghandi Oladunni Olaoye, Mobolaji Chambers, and Kola Fatoye, Esq.