Court of Appeal Upholds Asolo of Isolo-Opin, Dismisses Olu of Araromi Chieftaincy Claim

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin has dismissed the appeal filed by Alhaji Musa Adewale Lawal and others challenging the authority of His Royal Highness, Oba Raphael Sunday Are, the Asolo of Isolo-Opin in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.

In a unanimous judgment delivered on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, Justice Kenneth Ikechukwu Amadi, alongside Justices Tunde Oyebamiji Awotoye and Abdu Dogo, upheld the decision of the Kwara State High Court which had earlier declared the installation of Alhaji Musa Adewale Lawal as “Olu of Araromi” null and void.

The dispute dates back to 2017 when some members of the Adewale Lawal family and others appointed Alhaji Musa Adewale Lawal as the Olu of Araromi. The Asolo of Isolo-Opin, Oba Raphael Sunday Are, approached the High Court, insisting that Araromi remains part of Isolo-Opin and cannot have a separate traditional ruler. He relied on earlier judgments of both the High Court and the Court of Appeal which affirmed that there cannot be two traditional heads in the same community.

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Amadi ruled that the appellants failed to prove their claims, particularly their argument that there was a boundary dispute between Araromi and Isolo-Opin. He stated, “The issue of boundary dispute was never pleaded in the statement of defence. Parties are bound by their pleadings, and evidence not rooted in pleadings goes to no issue.”

On the claim that earlier judgments had been compromised, the Court also held that the appellants did not provide credible evidence to support such an assertion. Justice Amadi added, “He who alleges must prove. The appellants failed to prove any compromise of the judgments of this Court and the High Court.”

Justice Awotoye, in his concurrence, said the trial court properly evaluated the facts before it and there was no misapprehension of issues as claimed by the appellants. Justice Dogo also agreed, describing the appeal as “devoid of merit.”

The Court of Appeal, therefore, dismissed the appeal and affirmed Oba Raphael Sunday Are as the rightful traditional head of Isolo-Opin, restraining the appellants from parading or recognizing anyone as “Olu of Araromi.”