sola …As claimants file Notice of Appeal
Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Oyo Division has struck out a case filed by nine Oyo Kingmakers, otherwise known as “Oyomesi”, against Governor Seyi Makinde and others regarding the process for selection of the new Alaafin.
The Claimants including the Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yusuf Akinade; Lagunna of Oyo, High Chief Wakeel Oyedepo; Akinniku of Oyo, High Chief Amusa Yusuf; Areago Basorun, Chief Wahab Oyetunji; and the Alapo of Oyo, Chief Gbadebo Mufutau had in a suit number HOY/14/2023 sought an injunction restraining the state governor, Seyi Makinde and his agents from overruling their selected candidate for the vacant throne of the Alaafin of Oyo.
It would be recalled that after the transition of the past Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi on April 22, 2022, at the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, at 83 years, the Oyomesi called for applications from aspirants who are from the Agunloye/Gbadegesin ruling house to select a candidate to fill the vacant stool. About 180 aspirants applied, but after extensive screening, the number was reduced to about 80 and later 48.
While the Kingmakers were in the process of consulting Ida to choose the most qualified among the lot, a crisis broke out the head of the Kingmakers, Basorun and about three others had selected a Prince, Lukman Gbadegesin, and announced him as the next Alaafin-designate. Others disagreed, thus making Governor Makinde direct that due process must be followed before he could assent to the choice.
Basorun and other Kingmakers therefore sued the governor and the government, insisting that they had the right to take the decision they took. While the Claimants were represented by Kazeem Sobaloju (SAN), E.O Ojebisi represented the defendants.
They had argued that due diligence was followed in the selection/appointment of the candidate. However, Justice Ladiran in his ruling on Wednesday submitted that the signing of the letter nominating the candidate for the vacant stool of the Alaafin of Oyo by the Chairman of Atiba local government and the Basorun of Oyo contravened the Chieftaincy law.
According to him, the extant law administratively empowers the Secretary to the local government to submit the reports of the activities to the governor through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy matters, and not through the Council Chairman and the Basorun as was done.
It was based on the inconsistency of the action of the Claimants that the case was struck out, the court maintained.
Meanwhile, New Telegraph learnt that the dissatisfied Claimants have filed a Notice of Appeal to the ruling of the court.
