The Court of Appeal in Akure, Ondo State, has officially confirmed Prof. Sunday Amuseghan as the Kalasuwe of Apoiland. This decision follows the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by Prince Joseph Orire David, who had sought to overturn a previous Ondo State High Court ruling supporting the appointment.
Prof. Amuseghan, a former English Professor at Adekunle Ajasin University and a representative of the Ebeli Idumu Ruling House, was first appointed to the position by the state government in 2018. Prince David had contested this selection, asserting that he was the rightful choice by the majority of the region’s nine kingmakers.
Representing Amuseghan, Chief Sola Ebiseni argued that the suit was invalid because David belonged to the Ogele Idumu Ruling House. According to the official chieftaincy declaration, the stool must rotate between the Ogele Idumu and Ebeli Idumu families. Because the previous monarch also hailed from the Ogele Idumu house, the defense maintained that Prince David was ineligible for the role.
The appellate panel, led by Justice N.U. Okaisabor alongside Justices S. Nwaka Gbagi and P.O. Affen, agreed with these arguments. The court found that David lacked the legal standing to sue because he failed to adhere to the rotational policy and the requirements outlined in Section 13 of the Chiefs Law. As a result, the court upheld the High Court’s original dismissal of the case. The Kalasuwe of Apoiland remains a significant first-class traditional position and serves as the primary leader for the Ijaw people within Ondo State.
