Court deposes Lagos Oba

Justice Iyabo Kasali of the Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere on Wednesday ordered Oba Micheal Gbadebo Onakoya not to parade himself as the traditional ruler and Orijeru of Igboye in Epe Local Government Area.

The court, which deposed Oba Onakoya, also declared that his previous nomination to the stool of Orijeru of Igboye was illegal and of no effect.

The trial judge gave the order in a judgment in a suit filed by the representatives of Ewade ruling house‎ who were contesting the nomination and crowning of Onakoya.

The claimants in the suit are Alhaji M.A. Q‎uadri, Chief Dauda Kadiri and Mrs. Oladipe Otunowo for themselves and as representatives of Osekelu branch of Ewade ruling house.

Others are Chief Gbenro Otunowo, Mr. Yemisi Adegboyega and Mrs. Adeleke Ogunnubi, for themselves and as representatives of Okuyemi/Okuboyejo branch of Ewade ruling house.

The defendants, apart from the Oba, are head of the Ewade ruling house, Otunba Abdulwasiu Musa-Adebamowo‎, Lagos State government and Attorney General of Lagos State.

Justice Kasali dismissed the 35-point averments of Oba Onakoya contained in his amended statement of defence and counter claims filed through his counsel, ‎Babatunnde Oshilaja.

She declared that the second defendant, Micheal Gbadebo Onakoya, is not a member of the Ewade ruling house of Igboye and is not entitled to be nominated to the stool of the Orijeru of Igboye.

The court granted “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the second defendant from parading himself as a member of Ewade ruling house of the said Igboye or presenting himself for the stool of Orijeru of Igboye on the platform of Ewade ruling house.”

The judge also gave an order of perpetual injunction restraining all the other defendants from recognising the second defendant as a member of Ewade ruling house of Igboye.”

Besides, she described as fraudulent the documents used by the deposed monarch for his nomination, selection and subsequent recognition by government for the stool of Orijeru of Igboyeland, adding that the claimants were not aware of or participated in the meetings purportedly held by the Ewade ruling house‎ in August 1991, which culminated in his unlawful nomination.

She also agreed with the claimants that they were not aware of the presentation of the second defendant to the state government.