An Ondo State High Court has barred Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, from installing one Chief Alexander Akinnadeju as the Aladeokun of the Alade Idanre community in the Idanre local government area.

The court presided over by Justice Idowu Kolawole also restrained Chief Akinnadeju from presenting himself for coronation as the traditional ruler of the town pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

There have been protests in the Alade Idanre community over an alleged plot to impose what they termed a ‘stranger’ as the next king of the town by officials of the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

The protesters vowed that the imposition of a stranger to the stool of Aladeokun would not be tolerated under whatever guise.

There has been a leadership vacuum in the community since 2020 when the stool of the Aladeokun of Alade-Idanre became vacant after the death of Oba Olusegun Akinbola.

Some Princes in the kingdom and the Akinboro ruling house filed a suit at the court seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Ondo State Government and the kingmakers from nominating, presenting, or appointing any member of the Akinnadeju family from filling the vacant stool of Aladeokun Alade Idanre.

The applicants also prayed the court set aside the nomination, presentation, or appointment of any member of the Akinnadeju family who is not a member of the Akinbola or Akinboro family.

Justice Kolawole adjourned the hearing of the suit to May 8.

He ordered hearing notice to be served on counsel to the third to sixth defendants.

Counsel to the applicants, Yetunde Ademiguoke, said the state’s Chieftaincy Laws only recognised the Akinboro and the Akinbola as the two ruling houses in Alade Idanre.