Aresaadu Stool Crisis: Court Halts Fresh Selection Process in Oyo
The lingering battle over the Aresaadu of Iresaadu stool in Oyo State has taken another legal turn after a High Court halted moves to begin a fresh selection process while the incumbent monarch remains on the throne.
Justice K.A. Adedokun of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan issued an interim injunction restraining the Oyo State Government, Emiolu Ruling House and the kingmakers from nominating, appointing or approving another candidate for the Aresaadu chieftaincy.
The order was granted in Suit No. HOI/6/2026 following an application by Oba Abraham Olafimihan Adeyeye Oyerinde, the Aresaadu of Iresaadu in Surulere Local Government Area.
The court directed the affected parties not to take further steps towards producing another monarch pending the hearing and final determination of the motion on notice.
Justice Adedokun held that materials placed before the court established that the applicant’s rights were under threat and required judicial protection.
The latest intervention effectively freezes the proposed fresh selection process and adds another chapter to a chieftaincy dispute that has generated litigation and competing claims over the Iresaadu traditional stool for several years.
Oba Adeyeye approached the court after alleging that the Oyo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters was moving ahead with a process that could lead to the emergence of another Aresaadu despite his continued occupation of the throne.
According to the monarch, the ministry had written to the Chairman of Surulere Local Government in September 2025 and again in September 2026, directing steps towards a fresh nomination.
He contended that no court of competent jurisdiction had declared the Aresaadu stool vacant.
The monarch had earlier appealed to the Oyo State Government, including Acting Governor Adebayo Lawal and Governor Seyi Makinde, asking the administration to halt any fresh nomination process.
At the centre of the controversy are disagreements involving the ruling houses and previous court decisions concerning succession to the throne.
Oba Adeyeye maintains that he was nominated by the Osunbiyi Ruling House after the stool became vacant following the death of Prince Jimoh Oloyede in December 2018.
His nomination was subsequently considered by the kingmakers, while his appointment received government approval during the administration of former Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
He received his letter of appointment and instrument of office in May 2019.
The Emiolu Ruling House later challenged his emergence in Suit No. HOI/4/2019.
According to documents referenced by the monarch, the case was dismissed by the High Court on March 24, 2023, while an appeal arising from the matter was subsequently withdrawn and struck out in May 2024.
Oba Adeyeye has also relied on an earlier Court of Appeal decision concerning the rotation of the stool between the ruling houses to support his position.
The monarch further alleged that previous judgments and legal advice concerning his recognition had not been fully implemented, prompting additional court proceedings.
He said contempt proceedings filed in October 2025 against officials allegedly connected with the disputed process were still pending.
The fresh interim injunction dated September 11, 2026, now prevents the government and other affected parties from proceeding with another nomination while the court considers the substantive application before it.
The order, however, is an interim measure and should not be interpreted as a final determination of every issue surrounding the Aresaadu succession dispute.
The latest development places renewed attention on the role of the Oyo State Government in traditional institution matters and the need for succession processes to comply with existing court orders and applicable chieftaincy laws.
It also means any attempt to produce another Aresaadu while the injunction remains in force could raise further legal questions.
For now, the proposed fresh selection process has been halted as the parties await the next stage of proceedings before the Oyo State High Court.
