Court adjourned hearing in Olubadan chieftaincy suit

AN Ibadan High Court yesterday adjourned hearing in the suit brought by Chief Adebayo Oyediji of the Seriki Line of Olubadan against the Olubadan-in-Council, seeking to restrain the kingmakers from installing the Olubadan-designate, High Chief Saliu Adetunji, as the new Olubadan, till February 16.

Since the demise of the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana last Tuesday, Chief Oyediji had laid claim to the stool relying on a 1985 Supreme Court judgement.

But the state governor, Abiola Ajimobi and the Olubadan-in-council had insisted that High Chief Saliu Adetunji who is the Balogun Olubadan is the next in line.

Oyediji, through his counsel, Abideen Adeniran‎ is seeking a restraining order against elevation of any of the High Chiefs in the Olubadan and Balogun Lines.

Oyediji is also seeking an amendment to reflect the earlier order of the court made by Justice M.O. Ishola in 2008, where he ruled that “by the provision of the consent judgment delivered by the High Court in suit No. I/313/88, it is the turn of the claimants to produce the next Olubadan of Ibadan on both the Olubadan line and the Balogun line”.

He also sought the order of the court “setting aside the purported appointments made by the 1st defendant (late Oba Odulana) to fill vacancies existing in the chieftaincy titles of Ekerin Olubadan, Ashipa Olubadan, Osi Olubadan, Otun Olubadan and Balogun Olubadan of Ibadan since the 21st of November, 2008 up till the last appointment he made on the 1st of January, 2016”.

Similarly, Oyediji has sought an order “setting aside the purported approval granted by the Governor of Oyo state on January 5, 2016 or thereabout to the appointments made by Oba Odulana on January 1, 2016 to fill vacancies existing in the chieftaincy titles”.

But before Adeniran could move the motion before Justice Mukthar Abimbola yesterday, the defendants’ counsel, Michael Lana, informed the court that he just took over the matter and would need some time to study the application and respond to it.

Besides, Lana informed the court that ‎some of the parties in the matter had died and so there would be need for some regularization and substitution of the parties before the substance of the matter could be heard.

Adeniran however, opposed Lana’s application for adjournment, saying that he had served the defendants with his motion eight days earlier.

“They ‎have all opportunities to react because they have been served since eight days ago”, he told the court
Nevertheless, Justice Abimbola said that he could not hear Adeniran on ground of fair hearing saying, “You know I cannot hear you if they have not reacted.”‎

Justice Abimbola asked the two counsel to agree on a date but immediately Lana suggested a date in March, ‎Adeniran openly objected, saying March date was suggested for ulterior motive, as it was too long. Both later agreed on February 16, 2016 for the Olubadan-in-Council to react to the application, as well as regularise the issue of parties to the suit.