Court Clears the Path for a New Dawn in Ijare: Kingmakers Ordered to Resume Olujare Selection Process
An Akure High Court on Monday, 15 December 2025, has ordered the Kingmakers of Ijare, led by High Chief Wemimo, the Sapetu of Ijare, to immediately resume the process of selecting a new Olujare of Ijare, using the list of thirteen (13) validly shortlisted candidates submitted by the Sejeokun Ruling House, the town’s sole ruling house, on 22 August 2022.
In a decisive ruling, the court further directed the Ifedore Local Government and the Ondo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to accord full recognition to the list of thirteen candidates as the only valid list for the exercise. The court firmly dismissed and discountenanced the alternative list of four candidates, describing its procurement as questionable and devoid of legal standing.
Court Affirms Leadership of Sejeokun Ruling House
In separate but related rulings, the court unequivocally recognised Chief Aarinmo, Oluwole Oni, as the undisputed Head of the Sejeokun Ruling House, declaring his purported suspension by a faction within the ruling house as null, void, and of no effect whatsoever.
All Qualified Candidates Must Be Considered
Relying on a wealth of documentary evidence and the Ijare Chieftaincy Declaration Law of 1996, the presiding judge carefully traced the historical and legal link between the Olukekere Descendants of the Sejeokun Ruling House and the Olujare Stool. The court consequently affirmed Prince Kola Oyewole as a valid candidate and frowned strongly at any attempt to exclude any duly nominated aspirant, noting that such exclusion would amount to a clear violation of the Olujare Chieftaincy Law.
Background to the Dispute
The Olujare Stool became vacant in 2021 following the passing of Engr. Adebamigbe Oluwagbemigun, Kokotiri II. However, the succession process was thrown into disarray when a group within the ruling house allegedly suspended the head of the Omowas and excluded the names of some qualified candidates in a list described as curiously and fraudulently produced.
Aggrieved by these actions, the Olukekere stock of the Sejeokun Ruling House approached the Akure High Court, seeking:
1. A declaration that the purported suspension of Chief Aarinmo was null and void;
2. Recognition of the Olukekere/Aarinmo/Okobitilaya stock as having the right to aspire to the Olujare Stool; and
3. Validation of the list of thirteen candidates as the proper list for the Kingmakers’ consideration.
The court granted all the substantive reliefs but declined to award costs, noting that the dispute was fundamentally a family matter.
Path Now Clear for Ijare
With all outstanding legal issues now resolved, the Kingmakers are expected to proceed with the selection process using the validated list of thirteen candidates, once the necessary formal clearance is received from the Ifedore Local Government and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Barring any unforeseen developments, the ancient town of Ijare is poised to finally put behind it the avoidable controversies surrounding the Olujare succession and mov
e forward in unity, peace, and progress.