An Osun State High Court sitting in Ede has set to commence the hearing on the controversies surrounding the appointment of the new Alawo of Awo on September 13th, 2021 by the State Government.
The High Court to be presided over by Honourable Justice Kudirat Akano, fixed February 22nd, 2022, for Hearing Notice of the case with suit N0: HED/48/2021, between Prince Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman and Prince Taiwo Abdulrasasaq Adegboye & others/ors.
Other defendants in the suit are; Osun State Governor, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, The Chairman, Egbedore Local Government, and the two kingmakers ( Balogun and Jagun) of the ancient town.
According to the Hearing Notice dated 4th of February,2022, and signed by Mrs. O.O. Oladele, the Principal Registrar, High Court of Justice, Ede Judicial Division, copies were made available to newsmen on Sunday.
The Appellant (Prince Sulaiman) who approached the Court on December 31st, 2021, to seek redress over an allegedly fraudulent and purported appointment of one Taiwo Adegboye as new Alawo, on three(3) grounds of flagrant disobedience to the orders of the State High Court, forgery of selection documents and usage of obsolete, repealed and outdated Registered 1957 instead of subsisting 1979 Registered Alawo of Awo Chieftaincy Declaration for their purported appointment and installation of Adegboye.
However, a human rights organization, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) has reposed its confidence in the Presiding Judge of the case, which they believe she would ensure justice for the parties in the suit, urging the Court to ensure that the matter before it was treated on the merit to repose more confidence of the people in the nation’s judicial system.
Speaking through its Assistant General Secretary (AGS), Pastor Michael Agaasi on the subject matter, he reposed the confidence of the human rights group in the judicial arm of government as the last hope of common man, urging the Court to always adjudicate on any matter before it without fear or favour.
According to him; “We believe that the Court would ensure timeous resolution of this case without allowing unnecessary adjournment from the parties in the suit because of its importance to the good people of Awoland. We do not want the good people of Awoland to be like children of Israel in the wilderness for forty years where they were groping for direction because of leadership vacuum”.
It advised the authority of the National Judicial Council (NJC) to set up a monitoring unit that would monitor various cases in the trial and appellate courts to ensure that the personnel in the temple of justice acted in loco-god on any matter before them.
Approaching the Court to seek redress over the injustice meted out to him(appellant) during the Obaship process, Prince Sulaiman listed no fewer than seven (7) persons as witnesses including; State and Local Government officials and Secretary Abioye Ruling House/Compound, Awo, Prince Hamzat Abidoye Gboyelade.
The appellant through his lead Counsel, Barrister Yinka Muyiwa, prayed the Court to declare the purported selection, appointment, and subsequent installation of Taiwo Adegboye as new Alawo, devoid of due process, illegal, unlawful, null and void, and as well declare him (appellant) as the only qualify candidate to be appointed and installed from Abioye Ruling House for the stool of Alawo of Awo, after the reign and death of immediate past Alawo, Oba Musa Olatunbosun Adebayo from Akinsilo Ruling House, Awo.
According to the Writ of Summons of the suit, “That the stool of Alawo of Awo Chieftaincy is presently being occupied illegally by Taiwo Adegboye since 13th September 2021, in defiance to subsisting Court’s Orders of the Osun State High Court in Suit NO: HED/26/2020 made by Justice M.O. Agboola on the 27th day of August 2020 and HOS/84/2020 where the Court Presiding over by Hon. Justice A.O. Ayoola gave a Preservatives Order asking the parties to maintain Status Quo on the 16th of October,2020 in respect of stool with forged selection documents.
“That there is an existing and/or pending Appeal with Appeal N0:CA/AK/58/2021 on HOS/84/2020 at the Court of Appeal, Akure Division, filled by Taiwo Adegboye, challenging the Ruling of the Osun State High Court, presided over by Hon. Justice A.O. Ayoola, made on the 13th day of January 2021, dismissed a Notice of Preliminary Objection filed by Adegboyes on the jurisdiction of the Court to give an accelerated hearing to the substantive matter to determine the authentic members of the Abioye Ruling House/Compound, Awo, Osun State.
” That Taiwo Adegboye’s action in approaching the Court of Appeal, Akure Division is nothing but a trick and/ or tactics to delay the matter and prevent the lower Court from hearing the substantive matter and determine the authentic members of the Abioye Ruling House/Compound Awo, Osun State and to evade justice on the forgery of important documents used to hoodwink all to the throne of Alawo stool, after the reign and death of Oba Musa Olatunbosun Adebayo, the Akinsilo II”.
It further stated that the existing 1979 Registered Alawo of Awo Chieftaincy Declaration was used to install the immediate past Alawo, Oba Musa Olatunbosun Adebayo from Akinsilo Ruling House, Awo in 1979 and there were no other Chieftaincy Declaration, adding that the use of any other Chieftaincy Declaration contrary to the existing 1979 Registered Alawo of Awo Chieftaincy Declaration, is null and void”.
It insisted that; ” The illegal and purported appointment and installation of Taiwo Adegboye in defiance to Court Order, was done in tune with the outdated and repealed 1957 Registered Alawo of Awo Chieftaincy Declaration as contained in the Letter with Reference N0: CD.6/2/Vol. III/1189, dated 12th of August,2020 and signed by one Bashir Oladipupo for the Permanent Secretary, Osun State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
” Taiwo Adegboye and officials of Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs are planning to bring the expunged Akindolu Ruling House, Iragberi from the outdated and repealed 1957 Alawo of Awo Chieftaincy Declaration, back to Alawo Chieftaincy stool through the back door, if the purported appointment and installation of Taiwo Adegboye as new Alawo is allowed to stay”.
It x-rayed the particulars of forgery documents as different thumbprint impressions and signatures of Mogaji/Head, Alhaji (Prince) Abdulkareem Adegboye and Secretary, Alhaji (Prince) Abioye Hamzat Gboyelade/ Prince (Alhaji) Hamzat Abidoye/Hamsat Abidoye of Abioye Ruling House/Compound, Awo respectively and Taiwo Abdulrasasaq Adegboye’s Expression of Interest Form N0: 000000114.
It added that the selection minutes of meeting credited to Abioye Ruling House, Awo, dated 24th of August,2020, was also forged in favour of Taiwo Adegboye with another thumbprint impression and signature of Mogaji/Head and Secretary of Abioye Ruling House/ Compound, Awo, Osun State as it also contained in the attachments of Covering Letter and Exhibit B03 tendered in Suit N0: HED/26/ 2020, with reference N0:ELG.396/T/28B, dated 24th August,2020 and signed by one Mrs. Olabimtan F. Abiola the Council-Manager for Chairman, Egbedore Local Government, Awo and Bond to Prosecute Appeal N0: CA/AK/58/2021 on Suit N0: HOS/84/2020.
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