Justice K. A. Adedokun of an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, on Tuesday, restrained the state government from nominating and installing a parallel Aresaadu, while Oba Abraham Oyerinde, the Aresaadu of Iresaadu, in Surulere Local Government Area, still validly occupied the throne.
In the suit No. HOI/6/2026, Adedokun granted the prayers of the applicant, Oba Adeyeye, after listening to the arguments of his lawyer, Mr S. Raji.
The judge granted the injunction and restrained the “government, Emiolu Ruling House and the kingmakers from nominating, appointing or approving any candidate for the Aresaadu of Iresaadu chieftaincy nor taking any step in that regard pending the hearing and final determination of the motion on notice.”
The court further held inter alia that, “Having read through the application and the two affidavits in support of same as well as Exhibits A, A1, B, C & D attached to same, it was established that the right of the Applicant is under threat and same needed to be protected by this honourable court.
“The circumstances of this case make it one of the deserving instances when an interim order of this honourable court should be granted. Consequently, I found merit in the application and same is accordingly granted as prayed.”
Oba Adeyeye was forced to approach the court yet again to obtain the fresh order, when the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters failed to attend to all his letters, including the previous court orders and had planned to proceed with the illegal nomination process.
The Certified True Copy of the fresh court order was made available on Monday, 14th September 2026, by Oba Adeyeye, in addition to other relevant chieftaincy documents and subsisting court judgments.
Recall that the monarch had earlier appealed to the government through the Acting Governor, Bayo Lawal, on September 6, 2026, to stop the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Ademola Ojo, from illegally appointing a parallel Aresaadu of Iresaadu in flagrant disobedience of subsisting court orders.
Oba Oyerinde’s appeal was contained in the statement he signed and made available to journalists concerning his travail regarding the Aresaadu throne since 2019.
He noted with sadness that the commissioner had, in September 2025 and September 2026, written two separate letters to the chairman of Surulere Local Government to commence the process of nominating a parallel Aresaadu, premised on the ground that a court judgment had nullified his appointment as the substantive Aresaadu.
Oyerinde therefore called on the governor to direct the immediate suspension of meetings already commenced by the chairman of Surulere LGA and the Emiolu Ruling House to nominate a fresh candidate for the Aresaadu stool, which has not been declared vacant by any court of competent jurisdiction.
“Your Excellency Sir, it is of extreme importance and urgency to again call your attention to a disturbing matter as it relates to the injustice meted out to me as Aresaadu of Iresaadu, HRM Oba Abraham Olafimihan Adeyeye, by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters headed by Hon Ademola Ojo.
“The ministry has just issued a fresh letter in September 2026 to the chairman of Surulere Local Government, directing him to instruct Emiolu Ruling House to nominate a candidate for appointment as a parallel Aresaadu while I am still on the throne.
“Not only has the Court of Appeal (in Appeal No CA/1/291/2002) ruled that it is not the turn of Emiolu Ruling House to present a candidate for the throne, but also the subsequent suit (suit No HOI/4/2019) filed by Emiolu Ruling House to challenge my appointment has since been dismissed without any appeal on it.
“I had made an earlier appeal in an open letter published in the Nigerian Tribune on 28th October 2025 in this regard when the ministry issued a similar letter to the Chairman of Surulere Local Government sometime in September 2025 to initiate the process of appointing a parallel Aresaadu from Osunbiyi Ruling House, the process that had been concluded, supervised and documented by government officials more than seven years ago which culminated in the approval by former Governor Abiola Ajimobi.”
Oba Adeyeye highlights the sequence of events from the time he was appointed Aresaadu to the current status in numbered paragraphs to assist the governor in taking an informed decision.
He said, “The stool became vacant after the death of Prince Jimoh Oloyede in December 2018. Both ruling houses made representations to government regarding which of them should produce the Oba as directed by the Court of Appeal judgment in Appeal No CA/1/291/2002.
“The government, after examining the Court of Appeal judgment, agreed that it is still the turn of Osunbiyi Ruling House.
“I, Oba Adeyeye, was nominated by Osunbiyi Ruling House. My nomination was approved by the kingmakers appointed by the government.
“The appointment of Oba Adeyeye was approved by the governor, and I was given the instrument of office in May 2019. The Certified True Copy of the letter of appointment dated 24th May 2019 is attached as Annexure A and the Instrument of Office dated the same day as Annexure B.
“Emiolu went to court seeking reliefs that it was their turn to produce a candidate to fill the then vacant throne of Aresaadu of Iresaadu in Suit No. HOI/4/2019.
“The suit was decided by the High Court, Orile-Igbon and dismissed. The CTC of the Judgment delivered on 24th March 2023 is attached as Annexure C.
“The appeal against the High Court judgment was struck out upon being withdrawn by Emiolu ruling house. The CTC of the withdrawal dated 2nd May 2024 is herewith attached as Annexure D.”
The embattled monarch also said in the letter to the acting governor that the Oyo State High Court order of Injunction restraining the respondents from nominating or appointing any candidate for Aresaadu Chieftaincy, dated 11th September 2026 in Suit No. HOI/6/2026, was attached as Annexure H.
The monarch also asked the government to nullify the entire process of any fresh nomination to the non-vacant Aresaadu chieftaincy stool, being an absolute illegality and flagrant disobedience to the subsisting court orders and to sanction any erring government officers found culpable.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
