The Supreme Court of Nigeria has sacked Oba Mosudi Adeyinka Onakade as the Alakenne of Ikenne.
The court also declared the stool vacant after ruling that Onakade’s installation did not follow the law.
The decision, delivered on April 24, 2026, brought an end to a long legal battle over the Ikenne-Remo Obaship.
The court upheld the earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal in Ibadan, which had ruled that the process that produced Onakade went against the Alakenne of Ikenne Chieftaincy Declaration of 1998.
Based on this, the apex court nullified his nomination, selection and appointment, describing the entire process as invalid. It also set aside his approval and restrained him from presenting himself as the traditional ruler.
The dispute began after the death of Oba Gilbert Akindoyin Awomuti, when different ruling houses laid claim to the throne. The selection process is based on a rotation among the Obara, Gbasemo, Iwaye/Orogbe and Moko families, which later became a source of disagreement.
While an Ogun State High Court sitting in Sagamu had in 2020 upheld Onakade’s installation and ruled that there was no vacancy, the Court of Appeal overturned that decision in March 2024. That position has now been confirmed by the Supreme Court.
The apex court also stated that the 1998 Chieftaincy Declaration remains the only valid guide for selecting the Alakenne and must be followed in any new process.
However, the court said the lower court did not have the power to stop Onakade from taking part in a fresh selection exercise, meaning he can still contest again.
In the same ruling, the court dismissed an appeal filed by the Ogun State Government, thereby leaving the decision of the appellate court unchanged.
With this outcome, the Alakenne stool is now vacant, and a fresh process is expected to begin in line with the law.
