Appeal Court Bars Adeleke From Interfering In Akirun Chieftaincy Dispute

According to court proceedings monitored by Ireporter Online, the appellate court ordered that the status quo surrounding the Akirun stool currently occupied by Oba Olalekan Akadiri be maintained until the legal battle is resolved.

The Osun State Government had earlier declared the stool vacant and instructed all parties in the dispute to suspend further action pending the outcome of the appeal. The directive was contained in white papers released after the state reviewed reports submitted by committees established to examine issues arising from executive orders signed by Governor Adeleke in November 2022.

Delivering the ruling, Justice S.O. Nwaka Gbagi restrained the governor and other parties from making any move regarding the chieftaincy tussle until the appeal before the court is concluded.

Counsel to Oba Akadiri, N.O. Oke, SAN, informed the court that the chairman of the town’s kingmakers, Chief Kareem Adetoyese, allegedly invited the Gboleru Ruling House to submit candidates for the Akirun stool despite the government’s directive suspending all activities linked to the dispute.

The monarch maintained that the alleged move amounted to a violation of the directive previously issued by the state government.

During proceedings, legal representatives of all parties, including counsel for the Gboleru Ruling House and officials from the Osun State Attorney-General’s office, reportedly agreed that no action should be taken until the appeal is determined.

Counsel for the kingmakers, Chief Sola Ebiseni, also backed the application for all parties to maintain the status quo in order to preserve peace and stability within the community.

In its ruling, the appellate court noted that it had received information suggesting attempts were being made to process fresh nominations for the stool despite the government’s advisory halting such actions.

The court described the development as unfortunate and stressed the need for all parties to obey existing directives and avoid actions capable of causing tension or disrupting peace in Ikirun pending the final resolution of the case.