DEJI vs AKEREDOLU: Court strikes out Deji’s application to amend summons against Oralepo

By OUR REPORTER

An Akure High Court has fixed hearing for 15 December, 2021 in the suit filed against the Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), by the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi.

The Deji sued the governor, to stop him from presenting the Staff of Office to recently coronated Oba (Barr) Olugbenga Ojo Adimula III, who was installed by kingmakers in accordance to customers and traditions after the that produced him had been supervised and witnessed by the government, as the Oralepo of Isinkan, an autonomous community in Akure South Local Government Area of the state.

The new date was fixed sequel to the striking out of an application filed by the Deji of Akure to amend the originating summons filed against the installation of Oba Ojo as the Oralepo of his town.

Oba Aladelusi had, through his lawyer, Mr. Ekaete Udofot, sued Governor Akeredolu, his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, and traditional kingmakers of Isinkan town over the installation of Oba Ojo as the monarch of Isinkan.

But in the preliminary objection filed by the Isinkan king, who is also a lawyer, through his lawyer, Chief Olusola Ebiseeni, said the court presided over by Justice Segun Odusola lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit filed by the Deji, saying the Akure monarch is a busybody that has no connection to any matter relating to the chieftaincy of Isinkan.

However, when the case came up for hearing on Wednesday 1 December, counsel to the Deji said the court should decline to hear only the preliminary objection but should rather hear both the preliminary objection and the substantive matter in order not to waste the time of the court.

Also, he sought the permission of the court to amend the originating summons and the affidavit in support of it.

The crux of the amendment was to nullify the act of the government of 2015, which recognised Oralepo (and Osolo of Isolo) chieftaincy sequel to the decision of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed Deji as the paramount ruler of Akure.

However, when Ebiseeni wanted to move his preliminary objection, Udofot sought the permission of the court to withdraw the amendments and affidavits to the originating summons.

Sequel to the withdrawal of the amendment, the presiding judge, Justice Odusola, struck out the application for amendment and affidavits in support of the originating summons.

Consequently, the judge fixed the definite hearing of the preliminary objection and counter affidavit to December 15.