DEJI vs AKEREDOLU: Oba Oralepo wants Akure monarch’s suit dismissed
The Oralepo of Isinkan, Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Olugbenga Ojo, in Monday, asked an Akure High Court to dismiss the suit filed by the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladelusi Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo, against the Governor of the state, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) for recognizing his installation as the traditional head of Isinkan autonomous community.
In the preliminary objection filed by the Oralepo through his lawyer, Chief Olusola Ebiseeni, the Isinkan monarch said the court, presided over by Justice Segun Odusola, lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit filed by the Deji of Akure, who he said is a busybody in a matter relating to the chieftaincy of Isinkan.
Oba Aladelusi, through his lawyer, Mr Ekaete Udofot, had sued Governor Akeredolu, his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, and traditional kingmakers of Isinkan over the installation, on Thursday 4 November, 2021, of Oba Olugbenga Ojo as the Oralepo of Isinkan Land.
The DEFENDER reported earlier that the case was fixed for Monday 15 November.
It will be recalled that after the election process, supervised by the state government and from which Prince Olugbenga Ojo emerged first, Deji Aladelusi, in his palace, appointed Prince Henry Adeyeye, who came second in the kingship election, and made him high chief of Isinkan, which is believed to be strange because, according to the customs and traditions, Isinkan is not headed by a chief but an Oba picked by the town’s kingmakers.
But when the case came up for hearing, Oba Olugbenga Ojo said Oba Aladelusi and his four kingmakers who are claimants in the suit did not have locus standi to file the suit. The claimants included Oba Aladelusi, Chiefs FS Olubodun, (Lisa), M A Adebayo (Sao), Rotimi Olusanya (Asamo) and O. Olalusi (Ogbe group of chiefs).
The preliminary objection said the claimants failed to fulfil the conditions precedent to filing the suit and that the suit discloses no reasonable or formidable cause of action.
Also, he said the suit is premature having been brought to annual the appointment of Oba Olugbenga Ojo to the recognised chieftaincy stool of Iralepo of Isikan.
Besides, he said the suit is statue barred not having been brought within the time permitted by law and that the case is abuse of court process.
Consequently, the Isikan monarch asked the court to decline jurisdiction to hear, entertain or determine the suit for being incompetent.
In the deposition in support of the preliminary objection filed, the Elemo of Isikan, Chief Olasehinde Abidakun said the Iralepo of Isikan is a recognized chieftaincy in Akure South Local Government area of Ondo State saying the chieftaincy has a registered declaration.
According to him, the Iralepo of Isikan is not part of Akure chieftaincy structure but an independent and recognised chieftaincy which predated Akure in history.
Abidakun said that none of the claimants is an Indigene of Isikan community nor has any relationship whatsoever, with the Iralepo of Isikan chieftaincy and that none of them is eligible to contest to the throne of the Iralepo or have any say in the chieftaincy.
The presiding Judge, Justice Odusola fixed December 1 for the hearing of the objection filed by the Iralepo, his council of chiefs and members of Isikan community.
