A fresh controversy has erupted in Oke-Igbo Kingdom, in Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo council area of Ondo State, as the Kuole-Oloje Ruling House has formally petitioned Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, urging him to urgently review and set aside the appointment of Akintoye Felix Adeoye as the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo.

In a petition dated December 29, 2025, and signed by its Principal Counsel, Tope Temokun, the ruling house alleged that the process leading to the presentation of the staff of office to Adeoye was riddled with legal and procedural violations, capable of throwing the ancient kingdom into avoidable crisis.

The petitioners, who are acting on behalf of the Kuole-Oloje Ruling House and its unanimously endorsed candidate, Adewole Akinpelu Abegunde, described the appointment as “ultra vires, unlawful and fundamentally flawed,” insisting that it runs contrary to the existing Chieftaincy Declaration governing the Olu-Oke stool.

According to the petition, the Olu-Oke chieftaincy is regulated by a rotation system among five recognised ruling houses in Oke-Igbo Kingdom — Odo-Eleyewo, Are Kugbaigbe, Kuole-Oloje, Aderin Ologbenla and Ajibike Adedimeji.

“At the time of the presentation of the staff of office to Akintoye Felix there exists a valid and subsisting Chieftaincy Declaration which clearly provides for rotation of the stool among the five ruling houses,” the petition stated.

The Kuole-Oloje Ruling House further argued that the Are Kugbaigbe Ruling House, from which Adeoye hails, had already occupied the stool in the immediate past, following the reign of the late Chief Babajide Lawrence Oluwole.

“The Are Kugbaigbe Ruling House, having already had a candidate on the throne, can no longer present another candidate until the next rotation cycle,” the petition asserted, warning that any deviation from this “ladder system” undermines both customary law and statutory provisions.

Adding a legal dimension to the dispute, the petitioners disclosed that as of November 4, 2025 when the Ondo State Executive Council reportedly approved Adeoye’s appointment there was a subsisting appeal before the Court of Appeal directly linked to the Olu-Oke stool.

They identified the suit as Appeal No: CA/AK/97/2023 between Chief Babajide Lawrence & 10 Ors v. Governor of Ondo State & 5 Ors, noting that the matter remains actively pending before the Court of Appeal.

“The approval and presentation of staff of office were carried out while the appeal was still alive, with the penultimate court having sat on the matter,” the petition read, describing the development as “a grave legal misstep.”

The Kuole-Oloje Ruling House maintained that it is now their rightful turn to produce the next Olu-Oke and disclosed that Adewole Akinpelu Abegunde had been unanimously selected in line with tradition.

“This unlawful appointment has engendered unrest within the Oke-Igbo Kingdom and disquiet in several quarters, including among traditional kingmakers who were deliberately sidelined,” the petition alleged, claiming that hidden interests may have misinformed the governor and the Executive Council.

Consequently, the petitioners called on Governor Aiyedatiwa to exercise his executive powers to immediately set aside the presentation of the staff of office to Adeoye and enforce strict compliance with the chieftaincy declaration and the Chiefs Law of Ondo State.

They urged the governor to restore the title to the next and rightful ruling house of Kuole-Oloje, warning that failure to act could further inflame tensions in the community.

In a firm notice of intent, the petition also served as a pre-action notice, giving the state government one month to respond favourably or face legal action.

“In the absence of a favourable response within one month of receipt, our clients will have no option but to initiate legal proceedings to protect their rights and interests,” the lawyers warned. (This Day)

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