Damilola Timilehin, Ibadan
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, will officially present the staff of office to the Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Ghandi Olaoye, on Saturday, December 16, The PUNCH exclusively learnt, on Monday.
This was as state High Court sitting in Ogbomoso, on Monday, granted a stay of execution of the October 25 judgment, which ordered the removal of the monarch.
Recall that a prince, Kabir Olaoye, filed a suit marked HOG/27/2022, alleging irregularities in the process that led to Oba Ghandi’s emergency as Soun of Ogbomosoland.
Justice Kareem Adedokun ruled in favour of the plaintiff and sacked Oba Ghandi.
Displeased with the judgment, Oba Ghandi and the state government filed an appeal as well as an application for a stay of execution.
On Monday, the judge granted the application for stay and directed “all the parties to maintain the status quo ante pending the hearing and determination of the appeal already filed by the defence of Oba Olaoye and the state government.”
The state government had announced Ghandi, a pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God as the new Soun and made him king, on September 8, 2023; two years after Oba Jimoh Oyewumi Ajagungbade III joined his ancestors in December 2021, at the age of 95 years and reigned for 48 years.
Meanwhile, our correspondent gathered that Governor Makinde was set to give the staff of office to the Soun. It was learnt that a long-week programme, which is expected to commence, on Monday, December 10 in Ogbomosoland, will be rounded off, on Sunday, December 17, with a thanksgiving service.
An informed palace source said, “All is now set for a successful presentation of staff of office to our Oba. All necessary arrangements have already been put in place. The presentation will officially be done by the state governor, Makinde, on Saturday, December 16, which is next month. It is a week-long programme starting on Monday and ending on Sunday.
“Oba is not in town, however; he has travelled out of the country for some time. With the renovation going on in the palace now, the monarch will soon be in town.”
Punch
