Justice Emmanuel Ogundare of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Badagry has issued an order of injunction, restraining Oba Kazeem Abu by himself from unilaterally selecting and appointing anybody whether from members of the four ruling houses or none members to fill up the available minor chieftaincy stools in Ekunpa Kingdom, Ojo, Lagos.
The court further gave an order restraining him from forwarding any name not recommended by Chief Musiliu Abu to the Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, executive secretary of Ojo Local Government and the Chairman of the chieftaincy committee of of Ojo Local Government.
The court further restrained the Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, executive secretary of Ojo Local Government and the Chairman of the chieftaincy committee of Ojo Local Government from jointly as consenting authorities, from approving, installing and giving any proclamation or recognition to the appointment of any person recommended or selected by Oba Kazeem Abu without the consent or approval of Chief Musiliu Abu.
Justice Ogundare gave the order while ruling on an application filed by Chief Musiliu Abu for himself and on behalf of the Disu Kosoko, Gbadamosi Kosoko, Jigan Kosoko and Yusuf Kosoko ruling houses of Ekunpa Chieftaincy family of Lagos.
The respondents in the suit are Oba Kazeem Abu, the Attorney General of Lagos State, Lagos State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, executive secretary of Ojo Local Government and the Chairman of the chieftaincy committee of Ojo Local Government, Chief Jelili Nofiu and Chief Yusuf Raji who was joined by the order of court on July 4, 2018.
The court also declared that by the customs and tradition of Ekunpa chieftaincy family, none members of the recognised ruling houses are precluded from being appointed and installed as minor customary chiefs in Ekunpa Kingdom and Oba Lazeem Abu’s right over selection, nomination and appointment of minor customary chiefs in Ekunpa Kingdom is only limited to transmission of names selected by principal members of ruling houses of the Ekunpa Chieftaincy family to the consenting authority.
The court further declared that by the customs and tradition of Ekunpa chieftaincy family, the principal members of the ruling houses are the only competent bodies permitted to select or nominate eligible persons from the four ruling houses of the Ekunpa Chieftaincy family to fill up the various vacant minor customary chieftaincy stools of Ekunpa Kingdom.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
