The ceremony
to crown the new Ayangburen, had been slated for today however Justice
Ogungbesan held that the programme should be suspended “in the interest of
justice.”
Justice
Olabisi Ogungbesan of an Ikeja High
Court yesterday put on hold the ongoing
coronation ceremony of the Ayangburen of Ikorodu Kingdom, Oba Kabiru Shotebi in
Lagos State.
The
Ayangburen stool became vacant on August 1, 2014 after the demise of Oba S.A.A.
Oyefusi, following which the former Governor of Lagos State M Raji Fashola,
SAN, announced Shotebi as the new Ayangburen.
According to
the Judge, she was satisfied from the evidence placed before the court that
unquantifiable damages would be done if the coronation ceremony was allowed to
go on as scheduled.
To this end,
the court restrained the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, or “anyone
acting under his authority, from going ahead on Saturday to crown the current
Odofin of Ikorodu, Chief Kabiru Shotebi, as the new Ayangburen of Ikorodu
Kingdom.”
The judge
also stopped Shotebi from either “presenting himself for coronation” or
“parading himself as the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, or actualising any recognition
thereon as such, or exercising any of the Ayangburen royal functions”, pending
the determination of a suit filed by one Odupitan Eniola, from the Lambo branch
of the Lasunwon chieftaincy family of Ikorodu Kingdom.
Joined as
respondents in the suit are: Shotebi; the Olisa/Regent of Ikorodu, Chief
Zacheus Odusoga; and other kingnakers of Ikorodu Kingdom – Chief Afolabi
Adekanyaoja, Chief Karimu Ore and Chief Jacob Adaraloye.
Others were the Ikorodu Local Government, the
Ikorodu Division of Council of Obas/Chiefs, the Secretary, Ikorodu Chieftaincy
Committee, the Lagos State Ministry of Chieftaincy Affairs, the Attorney
General of Lagos and Lagos State Governor.
Shotebi in
the suit, through his lawyer, Mr. Joseph Okobiemen, had approached the court
with an ex parte application praying the court to halt the scheduled coronation
of Shotebi, who hailed from the Adegorushe branch of the Lasunwon chieftaincy
family, as the new Ayangburen of Ikorodu Kingdom.
The applicant
claimed that it was the turn of the Lambo branch of the Lasunwon chieftaincy
family, from which he came from, to present the next Ayangburen, adding that he
had been nominated by the family to be crowned as the new Ayangburen at
meetings held on September 7 and 21, 2014.
He claimed
that the Adegorushe family had already benefited after Shotebi became the
Odofin of Ikorodu kindgom, following a court judgment delivered on April 1,
2009 in a suit marked IKD/57/2007.
Besides,
Eniola he averred that there was a case
pending in court bordering on a dispute over the vacant stool, saying that if
the coronation ceremony was allowed to go on, it will foist “a fait accompli on
the honourable court.”
“The 1st
respondent is making plans, during the pendency of this suit and in concert
with other respondents, to organise a coronation ceremony, which is now in the
advanced stage, to crown the first respondent as the Ayangburen of Ikorodu
Kingdom, in a ceremony which has been scheduled to hold between 2nd and 15th
August, 2015. This is in spite of this suit pending before this honourable
court.
“The claimant
wants the honourable court to exercise its discretion in favour of the claimant
by granting this application, so as to preserve the order and judgment of this
honourable court made in suit number IKD/57/2007.
“The balance
of convenience is on the claimant’s side and the claimant will suffer more if
the respondents are allowed to continue their acts of flagrant disregard for
the orders, judgement and suits pending before the honourable court.
“I undertake
to pay damages to the respondents if this application is wrongly granted,” one
Prince Shakiru Shodipo, a principal member of the Lambo branch, averred in an
affidavit of urgency.”
Justice
Ogungbesan, in her ruling held she found merit in Eniola’s application and
therefore stopped Shotebi’s coronation as prayed.
No comments:
Post a Comment