Ajimobi prays Appeal Court to dismiss judgment against 21 new Ibadan monarchs

• Ife chief suspended for ‘denigrating’ Ooni stool

Oyo State government has described the judgment of the Federal High Court that nullified the installation of 21 monarchs in Ibadan as a miscarriage of justice, urging the Appeal Court to dismiss the verdict delivered by Justice Olajumoke Aiki.

In a seven-page appeal filed by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Oluwaseun Abimbola, the government claims that High Chief Rasidi Ladoja who was the first respondent lacked locus standi to prosecute the case, adding that the suit disclosed no reasonable or any cause of action.

The suit further stated that the case was of pure academic value and hypothetical, noting that from the facts and decided authorities, originating summons was inappropriate for the commencement and prosecution of the matter.

The government claims that Ibadan chieftaincy is a matter that affects all Ibadan indigenes both within and in the diaspora and since the 1st respondent did not allege any infringement of his right or denial of any entitlement by the act of the appellant, the case should be dismissed.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi, in the appeal, said if at all Ladoja had any right, which was denied, he had it in common with millions of other Ibadan indigenes, adding that Ladoja was unable to show special interest to elevate his right to donate locus standing to him.

According to the government, there is no provision in the Oyo State chiefs law that takes away the rights of the governor from instituting a commission of inquiry to look into issues on matters on which the House of Assembly can make law.It, therefore, faulted the trial judge for declaring that the governor had no power to set up a commission of inquiry on the issue of beaded crown-wearing Obas and coronet-crown wearing monarchs.

Meanwhile, the Royal Traditional Council of Ile-Ife, Osun State, has suspended Chief Ramon Adedoyin as the Maye of Ile-Ife over a trending poem “Ewi” on Ooni, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi released to allegedly defame the stool and character of the frontline monarch.

The council, in a statement jointly signed by Obalufe of Ife, Oba Idowu Adediwura and Lowa Adimula Ife Oba Adekola Adeyeye, said Adedoyin should not parade himself as the Maye of Ife henceforth.The poetry recording talks ill of Ooni. The tape which was captioned “Oba Awakusa” was said to have been sent from the United States. The royal council alleged that Adedoyin and Oba Adeoye Adefarakan, the Oloyere of Oyere, were the brain behind its production.

The statement reads in part:“The paramountcy of the stool of the Ooni of Ife has been desecrated with this singular action among several others done in the recent past.“Beyond reasonable doubt, Adedoyin and his cohorts like Oba Adefarakan, have committed offences of defaming the stool and character of Ooni of Ife. The libelous release of the “Ewi” remains indelible and all these acts are likely to cause breach of peace.”The council said all the parties involved in a meeting on the matter passed vote of no confidence in Adedoyin and Oba Adefarakan.”