“The 1st Defendant, who is expected to ensure the maintenance of law and order, is now threatening to cause violence by removing me as the Grand Chief Imam of Ogbomoso land, when he has no such power. … That if the threat of removing me as the chief imam of Ogbomoso land or tampering with my office is not restrained, there will be violence and commotion in Ogbomoso Land and the Defendants/Respondent will successfully usurp the power of the Honourable Court.”
That’s an extract from the affidavit in support of motion on notice sworn to at the High Court Registry, Ogbomoso on February 12, by Alhaji Taliat Yunus Olusina Ayilara, Chief Imam of Ogbomosoland.
ogbomosoinsightonline.com reports that Sheikh Ayilara dragged Soun of Ogbomoso Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye and the Soun-in-Coincil to court over the purported plan to remove or suspend him from the position of Chief Imam.
In the suit marked HOG/7/2024 with Soun as 1st defendant and the Soun-in-Council as 2nd defendant, he is seeking twelve reliefs bordering on the inappropriateness of removing him and want court declaration against the move.
In the interim, the court had granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants from going ahead to remove him.
The origin of the crisis is the claim by a section of the Ayilara family which is to produce the Chief Imam following the demise of the last holder of the office Alhaji Adegboyega Sanusi Asafa, that Taliat Ayilara, who was installed by the late Soun Oba Oladunni Oyewumi, is not of their family.
His opponents insisted he be removed and the hullabaloo has engendered a lot of crises though the Chief Imam asserted in his affidavit that the position is not “hereditary.”
Oba Ghandi Olaoye inherited the crisis following his installation on September 8, 2023 but all efforts to find an amicable solution has been abortive leading to the litigation instigated by Sheikh Ayilara.
Ogbomoso Insight found his claim bold and assertive and having the capacity to have far reaching effect when the matter is finally determined by the court. It’s a profound strike at the core of relationship between the traditional and religion institution capable of redefining the bond. An interesting scenario it is indeed.
Read below the affidavit sworn in to by the embattled Chief Imam to restrain the defendants from sacking him.
