By Damilare Adeleye

An Oyo State High Court sitting in Ogbomoso has barred the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye and the kingmakers led by Chief Sobalaje Otolorin from removing the Chief Imam of the town, Sheik Teliat Yunus Ayilara.

This is coming as both the Soun and the Chief Imam have been at loggerheads in the last few months.

The recent rift between them surfaced over the week when the monarch queried the Chief Imam for failing to notify him before embarking on the recent Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.

The Soun has taken exception to the Chief Imam’s decision to participate in the 1445 Hajj exercise without prior notification, further straining their already tense relationship.

A query dated June 10, 2024, from Soun of Ogbomoso expressed disappointment and concern over the Chief Imam’s breach of a pre-existing agreement. The agreement, signed before Sheikh Ayilara’s appointment, required him to notify the Soun before leaving Ogbomoso for any purpose, including religious duties like the Hajj pilgrimage. The query, signed by the palace Secretary, Toyin Ajamu, also highlighted that the Chief Imam unilaterally appointed an acting Chief Imam during his absence, further violating the terms of the agreement and exacerbating the situation.

It was learnt that Muslims in the town under the auspices of Registered Trustees of Ogbomoso Muslim Youths Forum had dragged the traditional ruler and the kingmakers who are members of Soun-In-Council to court over planned removal of the cleric.

The case with the suit number HOG/31/2024, filed at Oyo State High Court Ogbomoso Division, has Registered Trustees of Ogbomoso Muslim Youths Forum as plaintiff, while the Soun and the Soun-In-Council are the defendants.

The court, presided over by Justice K.B. Olawoyin, on Wednesday 26th June, 2024, barred the traditional ruler and the Soun-In-Council from removing the Chief Imam.

It barred 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”