Court Bars Governor Aiyedatiwa from Installing Monarch in Alagbon-Ilaje Community

An Ondo State High Court sitting in Okitipupa has issued an interim injunction restraining Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and other state officials from proceeding with the appointment or recognition of any person as traditional ruler of Alagbon Community in Ilaje Local Government Area.

Justice T. M. Adedipe, who is trying the case, granted the order following a suit filed by concerned community leaders challenging the government’s attempt to install Prince Olusola Joseph Ajaka as the “Gbogunron of Alagbon.” The plaintiffs argue that the appointment lacks historical legitimacy and violates established traditional processes in the area.

The injunction specifically restrains the state government, the Attorney General, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Secretary to the State Government, and other listed parties from taking any further steps toward the selection or installation of a monarch in Alagbon.

The court also nullified any actions previously taken to confer recognition or staff of office on any claimant to the throne, pending the final determination of the suit.

The controversy arose after the Ondo State Executive Council, acting on recommendations from the Justice Ajama Chieftaincy Commission of Inquiry, approved the installation of Prince Ajaka as the new monarch of Alagbon.

The title “Gbogunron of Alagbon” was created and granted official backing by the state government.

However, traditional leaders in the community, including High Chief Isaiah Adewole Demehin, the Asogbon of Ugboland, and Chief Mallon Ogede, Baale of Alagbon, strongly opposed the move. They maintain that the Gbogunron family has no ancestral ties to Alagbon and that the appointment was influenced by political interests. They also expressed concerns about the lack of proper consultation with the indigenous leadership and custodians of Alagbon’s traditional heritage.

According to legal representatives of the plaintiffs, the court’s decision is aimed at preserving the sanctity of traditional institutions and preventing government overreach in chieftaincy matters. They emphasized that the community must be allowed to determine its leadership in accordance with custom, not political convenience.

The case has been adjourned to October 9, 2025, for further hearing, after the court’s annual vacation. Copies of the injunction have been served on all relevant parties, including the governor and the Olugbo of Ugbo, the paramount ruler in the area.

The development adds to growing tensions surrounding chieftaincy appointments in Ondo State, as communities push back against government involvement in traditional succession matters.