Ancestral landowners from five communities in Ifoland, Ogun State, have approached the court to restrain the state government from proceeding with the selection of a new Olu of Ifo, pending the determination of their suit.

The communities — Orile-Ifo, Akinhanmi, Olose, Oke-nla and Adenrele — said they were seeking an injunction to stop the process until the court decides the matter.

The stool became vacant following the death of the immediate past Olu of Ifo, Samuel Atanda Oladipupo, on October 8, 2025, after a brief illness.

Speaking to The Guardian, the Baale of Orile-Ifo, Chief Dauda Odeyemi, said the communities were not opposed to the efforts of the state government or the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Adedotun Gbadebo, but would resist any move to install a non-indigene as monarch.

He said their action was aimed at ensuring that only candidates from the indigenous communities were considered for the vacant stool.

Odeyemi alleged that in the past, non-indigenes whose forebears came to the area to trade or work had twice emerged as Olu of Ifo, adding that the communities were determined to prevent a repeat.

He also expressed concern that several letters sent to the office of Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Alake since last year had not received any response, despite follow-up reminders, prompting them to seek legal redress.

According to him, the case has been adjourned to March 13, 2025.

“We cannot close our eyes and allow non-indigene or any stranger to become the next Olu-of-Ifo land. Five towns constitute Ifoland. But strangers will come to Ifo and buy land and after we sell land to them they turn themselves to rule over us. We have had two cases of strangers becoming king in our land and that we don’t want again,” he said.