Former pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Ghandi Olaoye has been installed as the new Soun of Ogbomoso in Oyo State.
The installation was performed on Friday by the kingmakers at Abata led by the Areago High Chief Sobalaje Otolorin.
The king is now to be addressed as Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III.
Formerly based in the United States, Olaoye arrived in the town early in the morning in a private helicopter. The aircraft landed at Ogbomoso Grammar School.
The Soun of Ogbomoso stool became vacant after Oba Jimoh Oyewumi died on December 12, 2021.
Some members of the family had opposed the choice of Olaoye as the new Soun.
They instituted the suit, marked HOG/27/2022, in July 2022, against his nomination by the kingmakers, citing various irregularities in the procedures that produced him thereby praying the court to, among other reliefs, set aside the nomination and to order a fresh process.
The judge, A.K. Adedokun, fixed the judgement day after the claimant’s counsel, Oladapo Atanda, and Kolawole Fatoye, who represented Olaoye and the kingmakers adopted their processes and presented their arguments for and against the suit.
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Some of the defendants in the case include the Oyo State governor, Oyo State attorney general, Oyo State commissioner for local government and chieftaincy matters, Ogbomoso North Local Government, Ogbomoso North Traditional Council, and Prince Amos Olaoye (Mogaji Olaoye Ruling House).
The claimant sought orders of the court to set aside the nomination of Olaoye, noting the procedure that produced him contravenes native law and custom for the selection of a candidate for the position of Soun.
The judge, Adedokun, therefore, fixed October 3 for the judgement.
But the kingmakers said they did not receive any court injunction restraining them from installing Olaoye as the new Soun of Ogbomoso.
