Onipokia Stool: Call Director of Civil Litigation, Olu Of Ilaro To Order – Families Petition Gov Abiodun

By ABIODUN JIMOH, ABEOKUTA

Four Ruling Families in Ipokia local government council have petitioned the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to call to order Director of Civil Litigation, Barrister Akinside, and Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle over plot to flout court ruling in regards to the vacant stool in the town.

The ruling houses constituting the Iwaye Dodo Bi Oke Ruling House of Ipokia in a petition dated and signed by its Secretary, Aguda Ruth Ogunleye accused the duo of
purported planned installation of Yisa Olusola Olaniyan as the next traditional ruler.

However, they have sent copies of the petition to the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly; Secretary to Ogun State Government; Chief of Staff to Governor; Commissioner of Police, and Director, DSS.

In the petition, the families notified the governor that it was collectively written as a follow-up to their previous letters, having been taken aback by the actions of Olu of Ilaro, alongside Isiaka Abolurin and Chief Akeem Adigun, who believed that they were above the laws of the land as far as government is concerned

The petition read: ‘We collectively write you as a follow-up to our previous letters as the four royal families that constitute the Iwaye Dodo Bi Oke Ruling House of Ipokia (the next in line of succession to the stool of Onipokia).

“The Asade, Adekanbi, Oteni and Okeleye are the only Anago royal families that are the descendants of Iwaye Dodo Bi Oke ruling house, the earlier mentioned individuals still insisting to conduct the installation in view of the fact that the case is still in court

“They have continued to brazenly boast that they will use all means possible and induce official with bribes to install one Yisa Olaniyan, a non-member of Iwaye Dodo Bi Oke ruling house by do or die machinations.

‘Your Excellency Sir, Isiaka Abolurin and his cohorts in connivance with the Director of Civil Litigation, Barrister Akinsinde, who appears to have compromised have now taken steps to undermine the course of justice.

“We have reliably gathered that Barr. Akinsinde has reneged on his oath of office upon being commissioned by Isiaka Abolurin, having initiated a recommendation and legal advice to the ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs to go ahead with the installation of Olaniyan, who has not passed through any formal process of selection in accordance to the Chiefs’ Law of Ogun State 2006, and despite pending litigation (four cases) over the same subject matter before the High Court of Ogun State.”

Furthermore, the families narrated that the last letter issued by the ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs on the vacant stool of Onipokia of Ipokia was the nullification of the initial process of selecting the Onipokia of Ipokia land, dated May 10th  2019 for not following due process.

“Since this letter was released, no other letter has been issued by the ministry for any new process to the vacant stool till date. Since May 30th, 2019, a case has been instituted over the stool in the High Court of competent jurisdiction in the state.

“Hon. Justice Ogunfowora (the then vacation judge) in his ruling on the matter at the High Court sitting at Ilaro on August 19th, 2019 judged that the stool of Onipokia of Ipokia is vacant and remains vacant due to gross non-compliance with the Chiefs’ Law of Ogun State 2006.

“He hereby directed the parties to maintain the status quo abinitio pending the final decision of the matter and nobody has applied to set aside or appeal the ruling in a superior court of record till date. The above ruling remains and in full force. It has neither been reversed nor upturned by any appellate decision.

“Your Excellency Sir, this singular action of the director of civil litigation with reference to some cases in Ogun State like Olorile of Ifo are of different species and circumstances to Onipokia kingship stool as the subject matter is pending litigation before Ogun State High Court.

“Therefore, Barr. Akinsinde has no authority or ground to pre-empt or overrule the court of law, to assume and stamp this reckless action. This will amount to overruling a Court of Law and orchestrating the installation of an Oba in the state without passing through any process of selection in accordance with the Chiefs’ Law of Ogun State 2006.

“Your Excellency Sir, Ipokia is an ancient kingdom in Ogun State for over four centuries and we have been living in peace and harmony while waiting for the next Onipokia, the 46th Oba, to be installed.

“We are peace loving people, and any attempt by the perpetrators in connivance with some government officials to foist and install Yisa Olaniyan as new Onipokia will amount to an illegality capable of breaching public peace, anarchy, order, serious crisis, unrest and pandemonium in Ipokia land.

“We wish to state that Barr. Akinsinde should be held accountable should any breakdown of law and order occur in Ipokia on account of his letter, which we have every reason to believe might have been induced or procured by Isiaka Abolurin and his cohorts or group as severally boasted by them in public.

‘Your Excellency, we all voted for you under rain and sunshine based on trust that the citizens of Ogun State under your leadership will be treated with fairness, justice and equity in all matters before you. We believe in you as a law abiding governor that always uphold the rule of law without fear or favour.

“We humbly urge you to shun any advances that might further undermine the course of justice and direct the Barr. Akinsinde to be called to order, while ensure justice is done in the matter,” the petitioners concluded.