Legal battle begins as ruling house challenges installation of new Oloro

The Affin Oro ruling house in Oro, an ancient town in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, has taken legal action to challenge the installation of Oba Joel Olaniyi Titiloye as the Oloro of Oro Kingdom.

Represented by their lawyer, Barrister Akin Akintoye SAN, the ruling house filed a suit questioning the legitimacy of Oba Joel’s appointment.

The installation was carried out by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq on 27th October 2024.

The claimants argue that Prince (Barrister) Clement Ogundokun Adegbola, from the Olufayo family, is the rightful candidate for the throne, having a genuine royal lineage.

In the court filing, the ruling house claimed that the newly installed king has no ancestral ties to the throne, asserting that he is neither an indigene nor a prince of Affin Oro, the only legitimate ruling house eligible to produce the Oloro of Oro Kingdom.

During the resumed hearing, Barrister Akintoye sought an order to prevent the newly installed king from presenting himself as the Oloro until the court rules on the case.

He also requested the court to restrain the second defendant, the kingmaker, from recognising Oba Joel as a native of Affin Oro while the suit is ongoing.

On the other hand, the defendants’ lawyers, Barrister (Dr) Abdulrasaq Adelodun Daibu and A S Oseni, opposed the application.

Oseni, representing Oba Joel, argued that the application was flawed because it did not include key parties like the Local Government Council, the Ministry of Local Government Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, and the Governor, who have the power to act in such matters.

Supporting his colleague’s argument, Barrister Abdulrasaq, representing the kingmaker, applied to add other kingmakers as co-defendants.

However, the court, presided over by Justice Moses Adegbite, overruled and dismissed this request.

Justice Adegbite adjourned the case to 10th February 2025 for the hearing of the applications.

The claimants include Pa Adeyemi Michael Awotundun, Prince Raphael Adekaye, Prince Wasiu Olaniyi Oloyede, and Prince Emmanuel Omotayo Alabi, among others, who are opposing the newly installed king and Chief Samuel Taye Otunola.