Court Restrains Adeleke From Installing New Olojo of Ojo in Osun

An Osun State High Court sitting in Ede has restrained Governor Ademola Adeleke from appointing or installing a new Olojo of Ojo in Egbedore Local Government Area pending the determination of a motion before it.

 

The interim injunction followed a suit marked HED/18/2026, filed by A. Mikaheel on behalf of five members of the ruling house seeking to protect their interests in the selection of the next traditional ruler.

 

The applicants are Princes Babatunde Hammed Adegoke, Taofeek Adekunle Adegoke, Nathaniel Olaniyi Adelakun, Abiodun Adelakun and Olukunle Oyetunji.

 

They instituted the suit against Governor Adeleke, the Osun State Attorney-General, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and the Egbedore Traditional Council.

 

Other defendants include Prince Mike Abiola, representing members of the Onimolodun Ruling House, and High Chief Falowo Jamiu Adebayo, representing the kingmakers and warrant chiefs involved in the selection process.

 

The applicants had asked the court to restrain the defendants and their representatives from installing, appointing, declaring, recognising or accepting any candidate as the next Olojo of Ojo.

 

They also sought an order preventing the parties from taking any further action concerning the installation of a new monarch pending the hearing and determination of their motion on notice.

 

Justice K. Akano granted the application in an order dated October 29, 2026, a copy of which was obtained in Osogbo on Friday.

 

The judge ruled: “An order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the defendants, their allies, agents, privies, successors and/or whosoever is claiming through them from installing, appointing, declaring, recognising and/or accepting any candidate as Olojo of Ojo.”

 

The court said the order would remain in force “pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed on 11th March, 2026”.

 

Justice Akano stated that the order was issued at Ede under the seal of the court and signed by the presiding judge on October 29, 2026.

 

Another Chieftaincy Dispute Emerges in Osun

 

The development comes amid another chieftaincy dispute in Osun State, involving four ruling houses in Ijabe, Odo-Otin Local Government Area, which have instituted a separate legal action against the state government over the appointment of a new Onijabe.

 

The families are challenging the Osun State Executive Council’s decision of October 23, 2026, which reportedly nullified the town’s 2018 amended chieftaincy declaration and approved the appointment of Babatunde Omotosho Tajudeen as the Onijabe of Ijabeland.

 

The state government announced his appointment on Saturday, October 24, 2026, in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi.