Appeal Court affirms Olaoye as Soun of Ogbomoso

The Court of Appeal in Ibadan has affirmed the selection and installation of Ghandi Olaoye as the Soun of Ogbomoso.

Recall that Justice K. A. Adedokun of the Oyo state High Court in Ogbomoso had, on 25 October 2023, nullified the selection and installation of Mr Olaoye as the Soun of Ogbomoso.

The lower court asserted that the procedure of Mr Olaoye’s nomination was “irregular, null and void”.

It added that the process did not comply with the provisions of the Soun Chieftaincy Declaration of 1958.

Delivering judgment on the appeal filed by Mr Olaoye, Justice Yargata Nimpar, who led a three-member panel of justices, Tuesday resolved the appeal in favour of Olaoye.

Justice Nimpar said the lower court had no jurisdiction to entertain the case.

The judge stated that the respondents failed to comply with the administrative procedure of writing the government about their dissatisfaction with the selection before approaching the court.

Nimpar, therefore, set aside the lower court’s judgment and affirmed the selection and installation of Mr Olaoye as the Soun of Ogbomoso.

Speaking with journalists after the judgment, the respondents’ lead counsel, Abiodun Ogunjumi, said his client was dissatisfied with the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

Ogunjumi said he was ready to file notice and grounds of the appeal to challenge the judgment of the Court of Appeal at the Supreme Court.

The respondents are Muhammed Olaore and six others.

Mr Olaoye was represented by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Yusuf Ali. (NAN)