A
Lagos State High Court in Ikeja on Friday stopped the ongoing coronation
ceremony to fill the vacant stool of Ayangburen, the traditional ruler of
Ikorodu Kingdom, in Lagos State.
The
Ayangburen stool became vacant on August 1, 2014 after the passage of Oba
S.A.A. Oyefusi.
The
ceremony to crown the new Ayangburen, which had been scheduled for Saturday,
August 15, 2015 (today), was stopped by Justice O.O. Ogungbesan “in the
interest of justice.”
Ogungbesan
said she was satisfied from the evidence placed before the court that
unquantifiable damages would be done if the coronation was allowed to go on as
scheduled.
She
therefore restrained the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, or anyone
acting under his authority, from going ahead on Saturday to crown the current
Odofin of Ikorodu, Chief Kabiru Shotebi, as the new Ayangburen.
The
judge also stopped Shotebi from either “presenting himself for coronation” or
“parading himself as the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, or actualising any recognition
thereon as such, or exercising any of the Ayangburen royal functions,” pending
the determination of a suit filed by one Odupitan Eniola from the Lambo branch
of the Lasunwon chieftaincy family of Ikorodu Kingdom.
Eniola,
through his lawyer, Mr. Joseph Okobiemen, had approached the court with an ex
parte application praying the court to stop the scheduled coronation of
Shotebi, who hailed from the Adegorushe branch of the Lasunwon chieftaincy
family, as the new Ayangburen of Ikorodu Kingdom.
The
applicant claimed that it was the turn of the Lambo branch of the Lasunwon
chieftaincy family, from which he came, to present the next Ayangburen, adding
that he had been nominated by the family to be crowned as the new Ayangburen at
meetings held on September 7 and 21, 2014.
Eniola
claimed that the Adegorushe family had already benefitted after Shotebi became
the Odofin of Ikorodu Kingdom, following a court judgement on April 1, 2009 in
a suit marked IKD/57/2007.
Besides,
Eniola claimed that there was a case pending in court bordering on a dispute
over the vacant stool, saying that if the coronation ceremony was allowed to go
on “a fait accompli will be foisted on the honourable court.”
“The
1st respondent is making plans, during the pendency of this suit and in concert
with other respondents, to organise a coronation ceremony, which is now in the
advanced stage, to crown the first respondent as the Ayangburen of Ikorodu
Kingdom, in a ceremony which has been scheduled to hold between 2nd and 15th
August, 2015.
“This
is in spite of this suit pending before this honourable court.
“The
claimant wants the honourable court to exercise its discretion in favour of the
claimant by granting this application, so as to preserve the order and judgment
of this honourable court made in suit number IKD/57/2007.
“The
balance of convenience is on the claimant’s side and the claimant will suffer
more if the respondents are allowed to continue their acts of flagrant
disregard for the orders, judgment and suits pending before the honourable
court.
“I
undertake to pay damages to the respondents if this application is wrongly
granted,” one Prince Shakiru Shodipo, a principal member of the Lambo branch,
averred in an affidavit of urgency.
Justice
Ogungbesan, in her ruling on Friday, said she found merit in Eniola’s
application and therefore stopped Shotebi’s coronation as prayed.
The
judge directed that the order should be served on the respondents within five
days.
She
adjourned the motion on notice till August 26, 2014 for mention.
Joined
as respondents in the suit are Shotebi; the Olisa/Regent of Ikorodu, Chief
Zacheus Odusoga; and other kingmakers of Ikorodu Kingdom – Chief Afolabi
Adekanyaoja, Chief Karimu Ore and Chief Jacob Adaraloye.
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