The High Court sitting in Akure, Ondo state capital, has sacked the traditional of Oke-Igbo in the Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Government of Ondo State, the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo, Oba Lawrence Oluwole Babajide, after five years on the throne.
In the judgment by Justice Ademola Enikuemehin, the court ruled that the deposed traditional ruler is not a member of the Are Kugbaigbe Ruling House whose turn is to produce the traditional ruler of the ancient town and restrained Oba Babajide from parading himself as the Olu-Oke of Okeigbo.
The ruling house had filed before the Court through their Counsel, Sola Ebiseni, challenged the selection, appointment and installation of Oba Babajide, claiming he is not a member of the Aare Kugbaigbe which turn is to present candidate to the throne which they said they claimed is still vacant.
In the suit marked HOD/80/2018 which has the state government, Oba Babajide and the Oke-Igbo traditional kingmakers as defendants, challenging the appointment of Oba Babajide.
The ruling house claimed that the sacked monarch is not a member of the Aare Kugbaigbe which in turn is to present a candidate to the throne which they said they claimed is still vacant.
The plaintiffs sought a declaration that the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo Chieftaincy in the Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo Local Government Area of Ondo State is subject to the Declaration in Part Two of Justice Adeloye Judicial Commission Of Inquiry On Chieftaincy Matters and the Chiefs Law CAP 27 Volume 1 Laws of Ondo State 2006.
They also prayed that under the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo Declaration contained in Part Two of Justice Adeloye Judicial Commission Of Inquiry on Chieftaincy Matters, eligibility to the throne is restricted to the descendants of Odo Eleyowo, Are Kugbaigbe, Kuole Oloje, Aderin Ologbenla and Ajibike Adedimeji of the male linage who are thus constituted as the five Ruling Houses of the Chieftaincy.
Besides, the Plaintiffs asked for a declaration that under and by virtue of the Oke-Igbo Declaration contained in Part Two of Justice Adeloye Judicial Commission Of Inquiry On Chieftaincy Matters, only members of the said Aare Kugbaigbe Ruling House of the male linage are qualified to be proposed as candidate(s) and be made an Oba at the turn of the Ruling House.
“A declaration that under the Olu-Oke of Oke- Igbo Declaration contained in Part Two of Justice Adeloye Judicial Commission Of Inquiry On Chieftaincy Matters, it is the turn of the Aare Kugbaigbe Ruling House, to present candidate(s) to fill the now vacant stool of the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo Chieftaincy.”
The plaintiffs however, prayed the court to depose the monarch and asked for fresh selection exercise to be carried by qualified members of Aare Kugbaigbe Ruling House.
In the 37-page judgment, Justice Enikuomehin upheld all the prayers and declared that the appointment of the monarch was “illegal, arbitrary, irregular, null and void, rendering the stool vacant still.’
The court gave an order directing the defendants to set in motion the proper processes of selection and appointment by inviting the claimants to present candidate(s) to fill the vacant stool of the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo chieftaincy in accordance with the Declaration and the Chiefs Law of Ondo State.
Aside from setting aside and nullifying the selection, appointment and approval of the and other processes of the deposed monarch, the court restrained Oba Babajide from further parading himself or allowing himself to be paraded as or accorded the rights and privileges pertaining to the person, title and office of the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo.
