The 11-year legal battle over the right of the Alabi Section of the Labosinde family to produce the Oluwo Afobaje of Ibadanland has been brought to an end following a landmark judgment by the Oyo State High Court.
Justice Olawoyin of the Oyo State High Court 8, sitting at Ring Road, Ibadan, delivered the judgment on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, after more than three hours of proceedings in Suit No. 1/720/2022.
The suit was instituted by Alhaji Ramoni Alabi on behalf of the Alabi Section against Alhaji Abdul Wahab Idowu Popoola of the Mosadogun Section and Alhaji Waheed Babalola of the Babalola-Onifade Section of the Oluwo Afobaje Labosinde family.
Justice Olawoyin held that the evidence presented by the claimant outweighed the claims of the defendants. He also dismissed the argument that Oluwo Bello Alabi’s mention in the historical work of the late Olubadan, Oba Isaac Babalola Akinyele, was linked to his alleged membership of the Action Group political party.
According to the court, the book relied upon was written in 1911, at a time when Nigeria as a nation and political parties did not exist, making the argument untenable.
The court consequently affirmed that the Alabi Section is a bonafide branch of the Labosinde family and has the right to produce the Oluwo Afobaje of Ibadanland. The court further held that the right extends to the male descendants of the Alabi Section, just as it applies to the Mosadogun and Onifade-Babalola sections.
However, in a consequential order, the court ruled that following the tenure of the incumbent Oluwo Afobaje, Chief Wahab Popoola of the Mosadogun Section, the Alabi Section shall produce the next Oluwo Afobaje of Ibadanland.
Counsel to the Alabi Section, Barrister Folarin Olanitori, expressed delight over the judgment, saying the legal battle began in 2015 following the death of the previous Oluwo Afobaje.
Olanitori said a member of the Alabi Section, the late Mr Fatai Alabi, had initially been confirmed by the then Olubadan-in-Council as the next Oluwo Afobaje. He said the confirmation letter, signed by Mr K. Liasu, was later withdrawn and replaced with another letter signed by the same official without explanation.
He said he advised the Alabi Section to petition the state government, but the family instead decided to seek judicial intervention.
“Today, we thank God that the eleven-year legal battle was laid to rest and justice was served. With this judgment, the judiciary has succeeded in making the masses believe in it as the last hope of the common man,” Olanitori said.
Historical records cited in the case indicate that Oluwo Afobaje Bello Alabi occupied the stool from 1925 to 1938. During his first tenure, he installed Baale Oyewole Foko, who reigned from 1925 to 1930, and played a role in the installation of the first Olubadan, Oba Abass Okunola Alesinloye, in 1930.
Bello Alabi was deposed in 1938 following a dispute involving Baba Megida, an associate of Oba Alesinloye. He was later reinstated in 1957 by Oba I. B. Akinyele as the rightful Oluwo Afobaje of Ibadanland.
Following his reinstatement, he installed Oba Yesufu Kobiowu in July 1964 and Oba Salawu Aminu in December of the same year. He remained in the position until his death in 1971.
The judgment is expected to have significant implications for the succession process within the Labosinde family and the traditional institution of the Oluwo Afobaje of Ibadanland.
E-signed:
Aderemi Adegboyega
Media Consultant, Alabi Section, Oluwo Labosinde Family, Oja’Ba, Ibadan
