The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State, issued a restraining order against Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, preventing the removal of the Akirun of Ikirun, Oba Olalekan Akadiri. ​The ruling is part of the ongoing legal battle surrounding several traditional stools in the state that were affected by the “White Paper” issued by the Adeleke administration following its review of appointments made by the previous government.
The court specifically ordered all parties involved to maintain the status quo regarding the Akirun stool. The governor and his agents are restrained from taking any further action to remove Oba Akadiri or declaring the stool vacant until the substantive appeal is heard and determined. The state government had previously sought to nullify the monarch’s appointment, citing irregularities in the selection process conducted under the Oyetola administration. ​
This case is one of several high-profile chieftaincy disputes in Osun State. Governor Adeleke’s administration has been involved in multiple legal battles over the traditional stools. The Appeal Court’s intervention signals a significant check on the executive power of the state government regarding traditional institutions. For the people of Ikirun, this ruling temporarily halts the uncertainty surrounding their monarch, though a final resolution depends on the eventual judgment of the appellate court.
