An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ogbomoso has barred the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye and kingmakers in Ogbomoso land led by Chief Sobalaje Otolorin from removing the Chief Imam of Ogbomoso, Sheik Teliat Yunus Ayilara.
The Daily Crucible reported on Friday that Muslim professionals had asked the Soun to immediately withdraw a query he issued the Chief Imam for travelling to Saudi Arabia for the recently concluded Hajj 2024 without getting clearance from him.
Not comfortable with the action, the Muslims in the town under the auspices of “Registered Trustees of Ogbomoso Muslim Youths Forum” also rose and dragged the traditional ruler and the kingmakers who are members of Soun-In-Council to court over planned removal of the Chief Imam.
The case with the suit number HOG/31/2024, filed before Justice K.B. Olawoyin at Oyo State High Court Ogbomoso Division, listed Registered Trustees of Ogbomoso Muslim Youths Forum as plaintiff, while the Soun and the Soun-In-Council were designated as the defendants.
The court, presided over by Justice Olawoyin, restrained the monarch and the Soun-In-Council from removing the Chief Imam.
It restrained the “defendants/respondents whether by themselves, their agents, privies, officers under their control, or any persons acting on the instruction of the defendants/respondents from suspending or removing the holder of office of Grand Chief Imam of Ogbomoso land (in person of Alhaji Yunus Olusina Ayilara) or in anyway disturbing or tampering with the office of Grand Chief Imam of Ogbomoso land pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
The defendants/respondents and their agents, servants and/or privies and/or any persons acting under their control or on their instructions are also restrained in the interim from doing anything under any guise whatsoever to interfere with or impede the Grand Chief Imam of Ogbomoso land from carrying out the functions and duties of his office as Grand Chief Imam of Ogbomoso land pending the hearing and determination of the Motion On Notice filed herein.
“I put on record that I have taken judicial notice of the full names of the Grand Chief Imam of Ogbomoso land as Alhaji Taliat Yunus Olusina Ayilara and that of the 1 defendant/respondent as His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye (Orumogege III), the Soun of Ogbomoso land.
“The hearing of the Motion on notice dated and filed 26/6/2024 is adjourned to 1/7/2024
