BY TIMOTHY AGBOR OSHODI
An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ogbomoso on Wednesday voided the selection and installation of Oba Ghandi Olaoye as the new Soun of Ogbomoso.
The court however ordered the kingmakers to commence a fresh process to select a new monarch for the town.
The Oyo State Government had announced Olaoye as the new Soun and the kingmakers of the town installed him on September 8, 2023.
But Prince Kabir Olaoye, one of the contenders for stool of Soun of Ogbomoso stool, had dragged Ghandi to court, saying he was not eligible for the position of Soun of Ogbomoso.
While ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by Kabir, Justice K.A. Adedokun, had restrained the Governor, Attorney General and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in Oyo State either by themselves, agents or officials from presenting any instrument of office in any form of ceremony or issuance of certificate of installation to Ghandi pending the hearing and final determination of the mandatory injunction already filed before the court.
Kabir had stated that the selection of Ghandi did not follow due process and the Ogbomoso chieftaincy declaration.
He, therefore, prayed the court to nullify the Ghandi’s selection and installation as well as order the kingmakers to commence a fresh selection process.
Delivering judgement, Justice Adedokun nullified the selection and installation of Ghandi as Soun of Ogbomoso.
He said the selection process and emergence of Laoye was illegal.
The Judge ordered Ogbomosho kingmakers to go back and start the fresh selection of the new king.
