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ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA – An Abeokuta High Court has declared the Olu of Orile-Ilawo stool vacant, nullifying the selection process of Chief Alexander Macgregor.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Olatokunbo Majekodunmi on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.
In her ruling, Justice Olatokunbo Majekodunmi instructed Chief Alexander Macgregor to immediately stop parading himself as the Olu of Orile-Ilawo.
In her ruiling in a suit filed by Ogunsanya- Ariku Royal Family of Ilawo, to stop the installation and declare Macgregor’s claim to the throne invalid, Justice Majekodunmi condemned the government’s action in proceeding with the installation of Macgregor despite pronouncement to stop further action pending the determination of the court cases.
She described government indifference as an act of impunity and disregard for the rule of law and the court.
Justice Majekodunmi emphasized that once a case is before the court; all parties involved in the dispute are under legally bound not to take any action that could undermine the integrity of the court.
The court, therefore, granted an order of mandatory injunction restraining Macgregor from parading himself as the Olu of Ilawo and restoring the Olu of Orile Ilawo stool to the way it was stressing that the status qou ante should be maintained.
Continuing, Justice Majekodunmi ordered the withdrawal of all instruments and staff of office and other symbols of authority that had been wrong lyrics appropriated and bestowed on Macgregor by the government be withdrawn forthwith.
The Ogunsanya- Ariku family had approached the court after warrant chiefs approved by Ilawo tradition council of chiefs were allegedly shortchanged and substituted with strange name for the purpose of nomination and selection of the candidate to fill the stool of Olu of Orile Ilawo, after the death of the former king on December 24, 2021.
The family had sought the court intervention to halt the installation process, challenging Macgregor’s claim to the throne.
Speaking with the newsmen after the ruling, the Secretary to the Aiku and Ogunsanya dynasty, Dr. David Ogunsanya commended the judiciary for upholding justice.
His words, “In cognizance of the reality of the fact that government and particularly Mr. Olusegun Macgregor remained adamant and seem uncautionable, the stakeholders of all the villages in Orile Ilawo headed by Ogunsanya – Ariku family resorted to litigation as peace loving people that would not want to adopt violence that could result to communal clashes.
“Today, we are elated to brief the distinguished members of the press that the installation of Mr. Olusegun Macgregor has been nullified and discarded by a competent court of jurisdiction with an order to henceforth desist from parading himself as the Olu of Orile Ilawo.”
The judgement stands pending the determination of the legal challenge against the processes that led to his nomination as monarch of the Ogun State community.
