Lagos High Court Dethrones Epe Monarch

Akinwale Akintunde
A traditional ruler, Orijeru of Igboye in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, Oba Micheal Gbadebo Onakoya, has been dethroned by a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere.

The court presided over by Justice Iyabo Kasali wednesday, held that the selection process that led to Onakoya’s enthronement in 2007 was flawed.

The judge therefore restrained Onakoya from parading himself as the monarch and Orijeru of Igboyeland of Epe Local Government Area.

Delivering judgement in the suit filed by representatives of one of the four ruling houses, Ewade ruling house, Justice Kasali held that the nomination of Onokoya, the second defendant in the suit, to the stool of Orijeru of Igboye was illegal and of no effect.

The court held that Onakoya is not a member of the Ewade Ruling House of Igboye and is not entitled to be nominated to the stool of the Orijeru of Igboye.

The claimants in the suit are Alhaji M.A. ‎uadri, Chief Dauda Kadiri and Mrs. Oladipe Otunowo for themselves and as representatives of Osekelu branch of Ewade Ruling House.

Others are Chief Gbenro Otunowo, Mr. Yemisi Adegboyega and Mrs. Adeleke Ogunnubi, for themselves and as representatives of Okuyemi/Okuboyejo branch of Ewade Ruling House.

The defendants, aside from the second defendants, are Head of the Ewade Ruling House, Otunba Abdulwasiu Musa-Adebamowo‎, Lagos State Government and Attorney General of Lagos State.

The claimant in the suit filed by their counsel, Tunde Oyende, had sought for “an order of perpetual injunction restraining‎ the second defendant from parading himself as a member of Ewade ruling house of the said Igboye or presenting himself for the stool of Orijeru of Igboye on the platform of Ewade ruling house.
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“An order of perpetual injunction restraining all the other defendants from recognising the second defendant as a member of Ewade Ruling House of Igboye,” amongst others.

Justice Kasali granted all the reliefs sought by the claimants.

She also described as fraudulent, the documents used by the deposed monarch for his nomination, selection and subsequent recognition by government‎ for the stool of Orijeru of Igboyeland.