Court Restrains Ogun State Government From Appointing Another Oba-Elect

MICHAEL AKINOLA

An Ogun State High Court sitting in Ota Division, has restrained the State Government from commencing the process of appointing another Oba-elect after Prince Abayomi Ogunbiyi Jagun was appointed as the Oba-elect of Ilamiro town in the State.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that this was the outcome of the motion ex-parte filed by Prince Jagun`s counsel, Barrister Olufemi Ajiboso, before Justice O.O. Majekodunmi of the Ota High Court Division.

While granting the order, the Court stated that the interim injunction against the defendants were granted as ordered that the defendants namely the Ogun State Governor, Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Chairman and Secretary of Ado Odo/Ota Local Government, some chiefs of Ilamiro town and other defendants in suit were restrained from taking any steps in the process towards appointing Oba of Ilamiro town until the
determination of motion for hearing filed on 13th May, 2019.

The Court also ordered that the applicants to enter into undertaking within three days hereof as to damages should it turn out that the ex-parte motion ought to have been made. The Court further ordered that the originating processes and pending motion of notice should be served to the defendants with dispatch and motion on notice was fixed for 4th June, 2019 for hearing.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the chieftaincy tussle started after Prince Jagun emerged as the Oba-elect after the due processes were followed and concluded as the ruling family that will produce the new Oba of Ilamiro town.
However, the two contenders who lost in the process, namely Chief Adeseye Obanla and Akeem Aka, started making moves to truncate the installation of Prince Jagun as Oba of Ilamiro through the defendants hence the litigation at the High Court. Some of the defendants led by Adeseye Obanla are threatening that no Court can retrain them and said they will continue with the process.

There are two ruling houses in the town, Awosanyin and Isiba Alayo ruling houses. The last king of the town who died in 2012 was from Awosanyin family and Isiba Alayo ruling house is expected to produce the next king. While the Oba-elect, Prince Abayomi Ogunbiyi Jagun, is from Isiba Alayo ruling house and emerged through the processes of law and custom of the town, Adeseye Obanla is from Awosanyin ruling house and is causing trouble in the town and even claimed that not even the security agents will stop his group from carrying out the threat to disrupt the peace enjoy by the community.