The Soun of Ogbomosho, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, has expressed his happiness and satisfaction with the Court of Appeal’s judgment, reaffirming him as the Soun of Ogbomoso.
PUNCH Online reports that the Court of Appeal in Ibadan, Oyo State, has upheld Oba Olaoye’s selection and installation as the Soun of Ogbomoso, overturning an earlier ruling that nullified his appointment.
Oba Olaoye was officially announced as the Soun of Ogbomoso by the Oyo State government on September 2, 2023, and was installed by the kingmakers on September 8, 2023.
Justice K. A. Adedokun of the Oyo State High Court, Ogbomoso, had, on October 25, 2023, nullified Oba Olaoye’s selection, describing the process as “irregular, null, and void” for failing to comply with the provisions of the 1958 Soun Chieftaincy Declaration.
Following the judgment of the lower court, the Oyo State government and Oba Olaoye filed the appeal, challenging the court ruling which invalidated the selection and installation of the latter as the Soun of Ogbomosoland.
On Tuesday, the appellate court set aside the lower court’s judgment, effectively reaffirming Oba Olaoye’s legitimacy as the Soun of Ogbomoso.
Reacting, Oba Olaoye, while speaking with journalists shortly after a grand reception for him by Ogbomosho indigenes resident in Kaduna on Wednesday, hailed the court rulings affirming him as the Soun of Ogbomosho.
The Soun also shared his positive experience meeting with Ogbomosho indigenes resident in Kaduna, expressing his desire for regular meetings to encourage his people to support his 25-year vision for the city’s transformation.
He said, “I feel very good to have met with them because that’s why I came. I hope that this kind of meeting will not happen just once.
“But we will have this kind of meeting on a regular basis because until we complete our vision, we still have to be going around, encouraging our sons and daughters to buy into the vision.
