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Oyo Govt Draws Battle Line With Soun, Rejects Suspension of Ogbomoso Balogun

The state government insists Dr Saka Adegbite Balogun remains the recognised Balogun of Ogbomosoland, citing the Chiefs Law, while the palace reportedly maintains that the chief was suspended over an oath-of-allegiance dispute.

The Oyo State Government has challenged the purported suspension of Dr Saka Adegbite Balogun as the Balogun of Ogbomosoland by the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, insisting that the action is inconsistent with the state’s chieftaincy law.

The government reaffirmed Dr Balogun as the duly recognised holder of the traditional title and urged members of the public to disregard reports suggesting that he had been removed from office.

The position was contained in a press release dated October 23, 2026, and signed by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon. Ademola Ojo.

In the statement, the government said it had taken note of media reports concerning the reported action against the Balogun by the paramount ruler of Ogbomosoland.

Citing Section 26(1) of the Chiefs Law of Oyo State, Cap. 28, 2000, Ojo maintained that the authority to appoint, suspend or depose a recognised Part II chieftaincy holder rests exclusively with the state governor.

He consequently questioned the legality of the action attributed to Oba Olaoye, arguing that it was contrary to the existing legal framework regulating traditional council operations in the state.

The commissioner stated, “By virtue of the provision of CAP 28, Section 26(1) of the Chiefs Law of Oyo State (2000), the power to appoint, suspend and depose a Part II Recognised Chieftaincy holder is vested exclusively on the Executive Governor of the State.”

He described the reported action against Dr Balogun as an aberration under the law, stressing that the state government continued to recognise him as the Balogun of Ogbomosoland.

“In the light of this, Dr Saka Adegbite Balogun is the duly recognised Balogun of Ogbomosoland,” the commissioner declared.

The government therefore called on members of the public to disregard any purported removal of the chief.

The intervention has brought the disagreement over the Balogun title into sharper focus, raising questions about the respective powers of traditional rulers and the state government in the administration of recognised chieftaincy matters.

Reports preceding the government’s statement indicated that Oba Olaoye had issued an indefinite suspension order against Dr Balogun in a letter dated October 20, 2026.

The monarch reportedly based the decision on the chief’s alleged failure to sign an oath of allegiance to the throne, which the palace considers a requirement for the proper assumption and exercise of responsibilities attached to the title.

However, the state government’s position centres on the statutory authority it says governs the suspension or removal of a recognised Part II chieftaincy holder.

The Balogun’s family also reportedly faulted the palace’s action, claiming that it received the suspension letter without prior communication, a query or an opportunity for dialogue.

According to a report by Nigerian Tribune, the family, through the secretary of the Balogun Chieftaincy House, Balogun Olajire Raufu, appealed to the state government to intervene in the dispute.

The family also alleged that Dr Balogun and his entourage had been denied access to the palace on two occasions during traditional homage proceedings. These claims have not been independently established in this report.

The dispute has therefore exposed a disagreement over both the circumstances surrounding the suspension and the authority to take such action against a recognised chief.

While the Soun’s reported decision was linked to the oath-of-allegiance issue, the Oyo State Government has maintained that the status of a recognised Part II chieftaincy holder is governed by the provisions of the state’s Chiefs Law.

The government’s statement, however, did not indicate that a court had ruled on the dispute, nor did it announce any separate judicial determination of the competing positions.

For now, the state government’s position is that Dr Saka Adegbite Balogun remains the duly recognised Balogun of Ogbomosoland, despite the reported suspension by the Soun.

The palace’s reported explanation and the government’s intervention leave the dispute unresolved, with any further clarification or legal action potentially determining the next stage of the disagreement.

Oyo Govt Draws Battle Line With Soun, Rejects Suspension of Ogbomoso Balogun