Court faults selection of Ogun monarch

An Ogun State High Court in Ipokia has faulted the selection of the Onipokia of Ipokia by the traditional council of chiefs.

The court ruled that there was no formal appointment of a recognised candidate for the stool.

The kingmakers were said to have selected Oba Yisa Olaniyan without following due process.

But Justice Gboyega Ogunfowora, who struck out the preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court to adjudicate on the matter, described Oba Olaniyan’s selection as frivolous and unmeritorious.

The claimants consisting of Prince Adepegba and Princess Akinleye Alaba of the Asade-Adekanbi royal family had approached the court to nullify Oba Olaniyan’s selection claiming he was not the right choice. They also claimed that the embattled monarch was related to the Iwaye-Dodo ruling house or a member of the Asade-Adekambi royal family and extension, whose turn it was to produce the Onipokia.

The kingmakers led by the Esemo of Ipokia, Chief Fatai Agbeyemi, who was the seventh defendant, had raised a preliminary objection on the grounds that the Asade family failed to comply with the mandatory requirements of the Chiefs Law of Ogun State while filing the suit.

Agbeyemi had described the action as hasty, premature and incompetent.

However, Justice Ogunfowora held that “the pleadings in the case proved that no formal appointment of a recognised chief had been made by the kingmakers and communicated to the appropriate authorities”.