Justice Omolaja Durojaiye of an Ogun State High Court sitting in Idi-Oke, Igbesa division will on April 25, 2025, hear a recusal application filed by the former head of Okewaye ruling house, Prince Mufutau Francis Adekunle in a chieftaincy suit.
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The judge said the application would be ripe for hearing on the adjourned date when the case comes up, adding that the claimant’s counsel has filed a counter to the motion.

Prince Adekunle through his counsel, Mrs Abibat Titilayo Bankole-Apena of Kunle Apena & Co Chambers asked the judge to withdraw from the suit filed against him and others.

Aside from the recusal application, Prince Adekunle is also challenging the court jurisdiction on a suit filed against him, the Ogun State Governor and four others in a chieftaincy matter.

The claimants, Prince Sulaimon Babatunde Adedimeji and Jamiu Olubunmi for themselves and on behalf of the Adeyemi Edun branch of the Okewaye ruling house filed the suit marked HCI/19/2024 against the nomination of Oba Olusola Osolo, the Olofin of Ado-Odo.

Other claimants in the suit are: Jelili Aderounmu and Pa Yinusa Yekini, who filed the suit for and on behalf of the Ilmoluka-Isikalu branch of the Okewaye ruling house.

They are claiming that the Olori Ebi (Head of Family), Prince Adekunle who presided over the nomination was not the true Olori Ebi of the Okewaye Ruling House.

Other defendants in the suit include the Governor of Ogun State, the Commissioner, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Attorney General of Ogun State, the Chairman, Ado Ota Local Government, the Secretary, Ado Ota Local Government and Prince Adekunle as first to 6th defendants respectively.
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However, at the resumed proceeding, Bankole-Apena informed the court of her pending applications. She said she filed an application to stay proceedings pending appeal in the suit dated July 3, 2024, and that the claimant filed a counter to the motion.

She said: “We also filed a motion for recusal dated January 23, 2025, filed on January 24. We were served a counter from the claimant on February 22, 2025. The motion for recusal is not ripe for hearing.”

Counsel to the 4th & 5th defendants (the chairman, Ado Ota Local Government and the Secretary, Ado Ota Local Government) informed the court of his application on the preliminary objections dated July 25, 2024, claiming that they are non-juristic persons to be sued.

But Dr Olumide Ayeni (SAN), the claimants’ counsel, represented by Mr Adeniyi Omonimu responded that they are juristic persons by virtue of the sections that created the office.

After counsel submissions, Justice Durojaiye said that the court would only hear the application for recusal on the next adjourned date. He noted that the case file will be transferred to the Chief Judge of Ogun State with the other pending application. He subsequently adjourned to April 5, 2025.
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