Alaafin of Oyo Prays Supreme Court to Halt Controversial Chieftaincy Elevation

The Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty Oba Akeem Owoade, has petitioned the Supreme Court of Nigeria seeking to halt the creation and elevation of the Baale of Ago-Oja chieftaincy by the Oyo State Government.

Filed on January 30, 2026, the motion requests an interlocutory and mandatory injunction restraining the Governor of Oyo State and the State Attorney-General from recognizing or proceeding with the installation of Alhaji Ganiyu Busari as Baale of Ago-Oja. The Alaafin’s legal team also seeks the suspension of any actions arising from the relevant Oyo State Government Gazette that approved the chieftaincy elevation in January 2025. The motion highlights that the Baale of Ago-Oja stool was previously declared non-existent by the Oyo State High Court in 2007, a decision upheld by the Court of Appeal in Ibadan in 2017. According to the Alaafin’s counsel, reviving or elevating the chieftaincy without judicial approval would defy court judgments and may amount to contempt of court. The Supreme Court is yet to set a date to hear the substantive appeal concerning the matter. The Alaafin’s legal team, led by SAN Adeola Omotunde, is urging the apex court to preserve the status quo until a final ruling is delivered. The Oyo State Government had earlier scheduled the coronation of Busari as Oloja of Ago-Oja for February 13, 2026, a move that has escalated tensions between traditional authorities and the state government.