BREAKING: Court Sacks Ghandi As Soun, Orders Fresh Selection Process

An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ogbomoso, has upturned the September 8, 2023 appointment of the new Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye.

The Oyo State Government had announced the USA- based Pastor Ghandi Olaoye as the new Soun and made him king in September in spite of a court injunction restraining the kingmakers from installing him. The injunction also forbade Ghandi from parading himself as the Soun of Ogbomoso.

Specifically, the court had ordered that the Oyo State Government must not appoint anyone to the position until judgment was delivered on the matter.

Upon the selection process which stirred some controversies, Ghandi was installed to succeed the late Oba Jimoh Oyewumi Ajagungbade, who joined his ancestors on December 12, 2021. He was aged 84.

One of the contestants, Kabir Laoye, had sued Ghandi for taking Soun’s position, claiming that he was not eligible to take Soun’s position. He had sued to challenge Ghandi’s appointment explaining that there was a formal flaw in the process by which he was appointed.

He urged the Court not to accept the appointment of the new king, but to order the kingmakers to start the process of appointing another Soun.

While delivering his judgment yesterday, Justice K. A Adedokun announced that the appointment of Oba Laoye was illegal. He also ordered the kingmakers to start the right process to elect a new Soun

Earlier, Justice Adedokun had dismissed three petitions brought by one of the contestants, Prince Adeyemi Taofiq Akorede Laoye. The petitions were also challenging the appointment of the new Soun.