AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
A High Court sitting in Ogbomoso has ruled that Oba Ghandi Olaoye should be removed from the throne as the Soun of Ogbomoso with a caveat that a fresh selection process should commence immediately.
Pastor Ghandi Olaoye was confirmed by the Oyo State Government and was enthroned as the new Soun on September 8, 2023.
Prior to this, however, Prince Kabir Laoye had appealed the emergence and enthronement of Olaoye with an argument that he was not eligible to mount the throne because the process was flawed.
Based on Laoye’s suit, the court had ordered that the state government should stay action on the selection process pending its pronouncement on the case.
In spite of this, the state government went ahead to announce Ghandi’s appointment, but he was subsequently enthroned.
Having claimed in court that the process which brought in Ghandi was flawed and unacceptable, Laoye prayed the court to cancel the appointment of the new king, adding that the kingmakers should start the process of selection of the Soun of Ogbomoso afresh.
Adedokun, who presided over the case, declared the appointment of Ghandi as the Soun of Ogbomoso illegal and called for a fresh selection process.
The court had earlier disqualified the petition filed by Prince Adeyemi Taofeek Akorede Laoye, one of the princes haggling to be enthroned as king, challenging Ghandi’s appointment.
