The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Friday delivered a decisive judgment in the long-standing Ikenne Remo Obaship dispute, nullifying the installation of Oba Mosudi Adeyinka Onakade and declaring the Alakenne stool vacant.
The apex court upheld the earlier ruling of the Court of Appeal, which found that the nomination, selection and appointment of Onakade contravened the Alakenne of Ikenne Chieftaincy Declaration Edict of 1998.
In its judgment, the court declared the entire process that led to Onakade’s emergence as illegal, null and void, setting aside his approval and restraining him from parading himself as the Alakenne of Ikenne.
The ruling marks a significant turning point in the protracted legal tussle between supporters of Onakade and Prince Yomi Ademola Adeyiga-Odeneye, who challenged the 2011 installation over alleged procedural breaches and irregularities in the nomination process within the Obara ruling house.
The dispute dates back to the demise of Oba Gilbert Akindoyin Awomuti, after which competing claims arose among the Obara, Gbasemo, Iwaye/Orogbe and Moko ruling houses regarding succession under the rotational system.
Although an Ogun State High Court sitting in Sagamu had in 2020 upheld Onakade’s installation, ruling that there was no vacancy on the stool, the appellate court overturned that decision in March 2024—a position now affirmed by the Supreme Court.
The apex court stressed that the 1998 Chieftaincy Declaration remains the only valid legal framework guiding the selection of the Alakenne and must be strictly adhered to in any future process.
However, it held that the lower court lacked the jurisdiction to bar Onakade from participating in a fresh selection exercise, meaning he remains eligible to contest again.
The court also dismissed a separate appeal filed by the Ogun State Government, thereby affirming the appellate court’s decision in its entirety.
With the ruling, the Alakenne stool is officially vacant, paving the way for a fresh selection process in line with the law.
Reacting to the judgment, Prince Adeyiga-Odeneye described the outcome as a “liberation” for Ikenne, dedicating the victory to individuals who lost their lives during the prolonged dispute. He called for peace, reconciliation and unity among residents, while cautioning against attempts to reignite tensions.
In a far-reaching implication, the judgment effectively nullifies all decisions and actions taken during Onakade’s reign from May 2011 to March 2024, including chieftaincy titles conferred within that period.
