PETITION TO AKEREDOLU: Ondo Ruling House tells kingmakers to “stay action on selection of Okiribiti of Sabomi”

By BASHIR ADEFAKA

The Gbabijo Ruling House of Sabomi Kingdom in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, has asked the Sabomi Community and Kingmakers to stay action on selection of a new Okiribiti of Sabomi pending the determination of Gbajomi family’s petition to Ondo State Government.

This is contained in a letter by the family’s solicitors, GreenLeaf Solicitors and Advocates dated May 17, 2021 and titled: “RE: Appointment of Okiribiti of Sabomi: Notice to Stay Action Pending the Determination of the Gbabijo Family’s Letter of 15th March, 2021.”

In the letter addressed to Sabomi Community/Kingmakers through: High Chief A. B. Wewe, Bisewe Quarters, Sabomi-Apoi, Ese-Odo Local Government Area, Ondo State, the Gbabijo Ruling House recalled that the purported selection of a new Okiribiti of Sabomi was declared null and void by the state government in 2020.

According to the letter, it is out of place for the commencement of “a new selection process to produce another Okiribiti of Sabomi in spite of the various letters written to the authorities of the Government of Ondo State even though the authorities are yet to respond, take steps, act on or take any decision or make any known to us or the general public or the people concerned in accordance with the Law as stipulated in the Chiefs Law of the State.”

The letter signed by Ademola Lekan Olanrewaju, ACIArb and Tosin Samuel Alawode, LL.M, Mipma, ACTI was copied also copied to the Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command Headquarters, Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo State, the Area Commander’s Office, Okitipupa Area, Ondo State, and the Divisional Police Officer, Igbekebo, Ondo State.

Read Gbabijo Ruling Family’s letter below:

We are Solicitors to Gbabijo Ruling House of Sabomi Kingdom of Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, which comprises the three Quarters of Sannuwei, Agbidi and Tenwei Quarters, hereinafter referred to as our Clients and on whose firm instructions and behalf we write you.

It is on records that sometime in the year 2020, there was a process leading to a purported selection of a new Okiribiti of Sabomi which was declared null and void by the Government of Ondo State through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs largely based on the various complaints of our Clients. The reasons for the cancellation of both the selection process and the candidature were premised upon the provisions of the 1961 Declaration on the Selection of the Okiribiti of Sabomi Chieftaincy.

The position of our Clients was/is that the said declaration did not conform with the history, and the established custom and tradition of Sabomi, and that the unacceptability and impracticability of the Chieftaincy Declaration is largely the reason the Stool has been vacant since 1975, after the death of the last Oloja of Sabomi [1954 – 1975] after whom no one has occupied the throne in whatever name the Throne may have been ascribed till date.

For the above reasons, we have, on the instruction of our Clients, written copied letters dated March 15, 2021 to the Chairman of Ese-Odo local government area of Ondo state, HIM The Kalasuwei of Apoi Land, the Honourable Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Ondo state, relying on the combined effects of Sections 2, 3, 4, 16 and 19 of the Chiefs Law of Ondo State to approve of the actual established custom of Sabomi in respect of selection, nomination and appointment of the Oba [Okiribiti] of Sabomi and make representation to the Executive Council of the State for approval of the actual custom of Sabomi which only recognizes the Gbabijo Ruling House as entitled to the Okiribiti of Sabomi Stool and also to accept the selection and nomination of our Client’s candidate, High Chief S. O. Surulere as the Okiribiti of Sabomi having gone through the recognized customary rites before his selection.

If you must know sir, where there is a question as to the applicability of a Chieftaincy Declaration for the selection, nomination and appointment of a Minor Chief in the State, these provisions of the law allows the Government to cause an enquiry into same with the view of establishing whether same is applicable and acceptable or not.

It has however come to our knowledge that you are about to commence a new selection process to produce another Okiribiti of Sabomi in spite of the various letters written to the authorities of the Government of Ondo State even though the authorities are yet to respond, take steps, act on or take any decision or make any known to us or the general public or the people concerned in accordance with the Law as stipulated in the Chiefs Law of the State.

It therefore becomes imperative to caution you and ask you to stay all your proposed actions pending the determination of our Clients’ Petition contained in the Letters of March 15, 2021 to the authorities of the Ondo State Government in respect of the selection, nomination and appointment of a rightful person to the stool of Okiribiti of Sabomi, as anything you purport to do will be considered as null and void and we shall ask that same be treated as such.

Yours faithfully,

Ademola Lekan Olanrewaju, ACIArb

‘Tosin Samuel Alawode, LL.M, Mipma, ACTI

CC:

The Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command Headquarters, Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo State.

The Area Commander’s Office, Okitipupa Area, Ondo State.

The Divisional Police Officer, Igbekebo, Ondo State.