An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has restrained the state government and other parties from proceeding with the nomination or installation of another Aresaadu of Iresaadu while Oba Abraham Oyerinde remains on the throne and the substantive dispute is pending before the court.
Justice K.A. Adedokun granted the interim injunction in Suit No. HOI/6/2026 after considering the application, supporting affidavits and exhibits placed before the court.
The order restrains the government, the Emiolu Ruling House and the kingmakers from nominating, appointing or approving another candidate for the Aresaadu stool, or taking further steps in that direction, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
According to PUNCH, the court found that the applicant had demonstrated that his asserted rights were under threat and required preservation pending the determination of the dispute.
The significance of the order extends beyond the immediate contest over the traditional stool. Courts frequently employ interim or interlocutory injunctions to preserve the subject matter of litigation so that one party does not take an irreversible step capable of rendering the eventual judgment ineffective.
The order does not constitute a final determination of the substantive claims surrounding the stool. Rather, it preserves the existing position until the court has an opportunity to consider the dispute more fully.
Traditional-ruler disputes have repeatedly generated litigation across Nigeria, particularly where questions arise over selection procedures, government recognition, ruling-house rights and compliance with applicable chieftaincy laws.
The latest Oyo order reinforces a basic rule-of-law principle: once a dispute is properly submitted to a court, parties are expected to allow the judicial process to run its course rather than take steps capable of defeating the subject matter under litigation.
Source: PUNCH — Court Stops Parallel Monarch Appointment in Oyo
RELATED ON LEGALLINKZ: Court Restrains Emir Ado Bayero from Renovating Nassarawa Mini Palace
