The Supreme Court on Friday delivered a landmark judgment in the protracted Ikenne Remo Obaship dispute, nullifying the installation of Oba Mosudi Adeyinka Onakade and declaring the Alakenne stool vacant, in a decision widely seen as a legal victory for Prince Yomi Ademola Adeyiga-Odeneye.
The apex court affirmed the earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, which held that the nomination, selection and appointment of Onakade as Alakenne of Ikenne contravened the Alakenne of Ikenne Chieftaincy Declaration Edict of 1998.
Consequently, the court declared the process that produced Onakade illegal, null and void, and set aside his approval, while also restraining him from parading himself as the Alakenne of Ikenne.
The judgment marks a turning point in a long-running legal battle between supporters of Onakade and Prince Adeyiga-Adeneye,who had challenged the 2011 installation on grounds of alleged procedural violations and improper nomination process within the Obara ruling house.
The dispute traces back to the death of Oba Gilbert Akindoyin Awomuti, after which multiple claims emerged over which ruling house and candidate should produce the next monarch under the rotational system involving Obara, Gbasemo, Iwaye/Orogbe and Moko families.
While an Ogun State High Court in Sagamu had in 2020 upheld Onakade’s installation and ruled that there was no vacancy on the stool, the Court of Appeal overturned that decision in March 2024, a position now upheld by the Supreme Court.
In its ruling, the apex court emphasized that the 1998 Chieftaincy Declaration remains the only valid legal framework for the selection of the Alakenne and must be strictly followed in any future process.
However, the court held that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to bar Onakade from participating in a fresh selection process, meaning he remains eligible to contest for the stool again.
The Supreme Court also dismissed a separate appeal filed by the Ogun State Government, thereby reinforcing the appellate court’s decision without alteration.
With the judgment, the Alakenne stool is now officially vacant, and a new selection process is expected to be initiated in accordance with the law.
Reacting to the ruling, Prince Adeyiga-Odeneye, in a press release he personally signed and made available to journalists, described the outcome as a moment of liberation for the town.
He noted that the victory is not only for the Ikenne people but also the great warriors who lost their lives during the struggle.
“May the souls of our great warriors rest in peace,” the press release stated, adding that the victory is dedicated to the departed souls.
The statement further noted, “We thank them for their services to Ikenne. IKENNE IS FREE AT LAST! No more arrests, intimidation or oppression.
“Peace and reconciliation should be the talk in Ikenne. Peace and freedom are the wind in Ikenne, let Ikenne be great again.”
He also warned of possible fresh disputes, urging residents to remain committed to peace and truth despite what he described as efforts by “distractors of peace and progress” to reignite tensions.
