RismadarVoice Reporters
September 15, 2026
The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has restrained the state government and other parties from nominating, appointing or approving a candidate to occupy the Aresaadu of Iresaadu stool while Oba Abraham Oyerinde Adeyeye remains on the throne.
Justice K.A. Adedokun issued the interim injunction on Tuesday in Suit No. HOI/6/2026, following an application by Oba Adeyeye through his counsel, Mr S. Raji.
The court specifically barred the Oyo State Government, the Emiolu Ruling House and the kingmakers from taking any step towards filling the Aresaadu chieftaincy stool pending the hearing and final determination of the motion before it.
In granting the application, the court held that the applicant had demonstrated that his rights were under threat and required protection.
The latest order was obtained after the monarch approached the court again, alleging that the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters had failed to act on his letters and previous court orders and had instead proceeded with plans to commence another nomination process.
A Certified True Copy of the order dated September 11, 2026, was made available by the monarch on Monday, alongside other documents relating to the chieftaincy dispute.
The development follows an earlier appeal by Oba Adeyeye to Acting Governor Bayo Lawal and Governor Seyi Makinde to halt what he described as an attempt by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Ademola Ojo, to install a parallel Aresaadu in alleged disregard of existing court orders.
According to the monarch, the ministry wrote to the chairman of Surulere Local Government in September 2025 and again in September 2026, directing the commencement of a process to nominate another candidate for the stool.
He alleged that the move was based on the claim that a court judgment had invalidated his appointment.
Adeyeye, however, argued that the Aresaadu stool had not been declared vacant by any competent court and urged the governor to stop meetings between the Surulere council authorities and the Emiolu Ruling House over the proposed nomination.
The monarch said the Court of Appeal had previously ruled in Appeal No. CA/I/291/2002 that it was not the turn of the Emiolu Ruling House to produce a candidate for the stool.
He further stated that following the death of Prince Jimoh Oloyede in December 2018, the government reviewed the relevant court judgment and concluded that it was the turn of the Osunbiyi Ruling House to present a candidate.
Adeyeye said he was subsequently nominated by the Osunbiyi Ruling House, approved by the kingmakers and appointed by the governor, receiving his instrument of office on May 24, 2019.
He added that the Emiolu Ruling House later challenged his appointment in Suit No. HOI/4/2019, but the case was dismissed by the High Court, Orile-Igbon, in a judgment delivered on March 24, 2023.
According to him, an appeal against the judgment was subsequently withdrawn by the Emiolu Ruling House in May 2024.
Adeyeye also said he had earlier sued the state government in Suit No. HOI/19/2020 over its alleged failure to recognise him as the substantive Aresaadu. He said the court ruled in his favour on February 2, 2021, directing the government to recognise him and release his entitlements.
He alleged that the government did not comply with the judgment despite there being no appeal against it.
The monarch further disclosed that several other cases concerning the stool remain pending, including suits filed by the Emiolu Ruling House, the kingmakers and some members of the Osunbiyi Ruling House who challenged aspects of the selection process and his appointment.
He also claimed that the Ministry of Justice had issued legal advice to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters urging compliance with previous court judgments and recognition of his position.
Adeyeye said he subsequently initiated contempt proceedings against government officials allegedly involved in or facilitating non-compliance with the court orders.
With the latest injunction now in place, the monarch urged the state government to withdraw letters directing the commencement of another nomination process and stop any meetings aimed at selecting a new Aresaadu.
He also called for the cancellation of any process already initiated to fill the stool, describing it as unlawful and allegedly contrary to subsisting court orders.
The chieftaincy dispute has remained before the courts for several years, with different parties pursuing separate legal actions over succession to the Aresaadu stool of Iresaadu.