Olubadan-in-council begins process of withdrawing court case

The Olubadan-in-Council, yesterday, said the process of withdrawing the case instituted in relation to the Olubadan stool has begun, disclosing that the chiefs agreed with Governor Seyi Makinde to withdraw the suit in court.

The Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, Chief Tajudeen Ajibola, told journalists, after a two-hour closed-door meeting at the Oja’ba palace, that the chiefs had concurred with the governor to withdraw the suit.

With this, the delay in asserting the nomination of Otun Olubadan, Dr. Lekan Balogun, as the next Olubadan by the governor may soon be over.

Ajibola said: “The case was adjourned till February 1, 2022. Whatever happens, we would have to get to the court before the withdrawal can take place.”

The Olubadan-in-council had met the governor on Saturday over the issue of succession to the Olubadan throne, which became vacant following the demise of Oba Saliu Adetunji, on January 2, 2022.

At the meeting, it was gathered that the litigation was the main issue delaying the pronouncement of the next Olubadan as proposed by the kingmakers at their last week’s meeting.

The court case was instituted by the chiefs to challenge the consent judgment nullifying the elevation granted them as royal majesties by the immediate past administration led by the late Abiola Ajimobi.

Former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Michael Lana, had, barely 24 hours after the death of Oba Adetunji, gone to town with a letter, asking the governor not to assent to any nomination to the vacant Ibadan stool by the kingmakers unless the court case is withdrawn.

The said letter had since become the barometer with which the general public views and judge the succession order to the vacant Olubadan stool.

In the meantime, the Coronet-wearing monarchs, who enjoyed the same promotion from their Baaleship positions to royal highnesses with the chiefs, were yet to take a decision on the withdrawal of the case.

It was gathered that they agreed to hold a separate meeting on Thursday, January 20, on the matter at the same venue.

Though the cases were similar, they were filed separately, which made the royal highnesses not to be bound by the decision of the chiefs.