Court sacks monarch in Ondo
The Ondo State High Court, sitting in Ondo town, has ordered the deposition of Oba Babajide Oluwole, the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo in the state's Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Government.
The court overturned the traditional ruler's appointment, admitting that Oba Oluwole, who was crowned as the community's monarch in 2018, was not a member of the ruling house, which was to fill the town's then-vacant stool.
Rufus Adekanye and Temitope Adeoye, Head and Secretary of the Aare Kugbaigbe Ruling House, respectively, had approached the court to challenge the state government's enthronement of Oba Oluwole.
The suit was also joined by the kingmakers.
According to the suit filed by their lawyer, Mr Sola Ebiseni, the claimants claimed that the defendant was not a member of the Aare Kugbaigbe Ruling House, which was supposed to present a candidate to the throne, and that the throne was still vacant.
In a decision delivered by Justice Ademola Enikuemehin, the court acknowledged that Oluwole was not a member of the ruling house, which was to produce the king, and was also not qualified to be presented as a candidate for the kingship.
According to the ruling, "the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo Chieftaincy in the Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Government Area of Ondo State is subject to the Declaration in Part two of Justice Adeloye Judicial Commission Of Inquiry On Chieftaincy Matters and the Chiefs Law CAP 27 Volume 1 Laws of Ondo State 2006."
The judge said, "Under the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo Declaration contained in Part Two of Justice Adeloye Judicial Commission Of Inquiry On Chieftaincy Matters, eligibility to the throne is restricted to the descendants of (1) Odo Eleyowo (2) Aare Kugbaigbe (3) Kuole Oloje (4) Aderin Ologbenla (5) Ajibike Adedimeji of the male linage who is thus constituted as the five Ruling Houses of the Chieftaincy.
"Under and by virtue of the Oke-Igbo Declaration contained in Part Two of Justice Adeloye's Judicial Commission Of Inquiry On Chieftaincy Matters, only members of the said Aare Kugbaigbe Ruling House of the male linage are qualified to be proposed as the candidate(s) and be made an Oba at the Ruling House's turn."
"It is the turn of the Are Kugbaigbe Ruling House, under the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo Declaration contained in Part Two of Justice Adeloye Judicial Commission Of Inquiry On Chieftaincy Matters, to present candidate(s) to fill the now vacant stool of the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo Chieftaincy."
"Because he is not a descendant of the Aare Kugbaigbe, the fifth defendant (Oba Oluwole) is not a member of the Aare Kugbaigbe Ruling House and thus is not qualified under the declaration to be proposed as a candidate for the vacant stool of or be made the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo."
In addition, the court issued an injunction prohibiting "the fifth defendant from further parading himself or allowing himself to be paraded as or accorded the rights and privileges pertaining to the person, title, and office of the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo."
It barred the defendants from "jointly and severally parading as or further according to the fifth defendant the recognition, rights, and privileges, of the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo."
Leave A Comment