An Osun State High Court sitting in Osogbo on Wednesday, dismissed a chieftaincy suit challenging the appointment of the Alawo of Awo, affirming that the Osun State Government acted lawfully in the selection and installation of the monarch.
Two princes of the town, Lawal Oloyede Oyekunle and Ganiyu Ademola Adediji, alongside other claimants, had instituted suit, HOS/84/2020, against several defendants including Alhaji Abdul-Kareem Adegboye, Hon. Adegboye Taiwo Rasaq, officials of Egbedore Local Government, the Executive Governor of Osun State, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and the Attorney-General of Osun State.
The claimants sought multiple declaratory reliefs, asking the court to determine the legitimate ruling houses in Awo and to declare that only descendants of Fagbon, Yebokun, Olusoro and Adesite, children of Awojobi, could aspire to the Alawo stool.
They further argued that the Yebokun/Jogunade/Abioye family was the rightful bloodline connected to the Abioye ruling house and therefore entitled to present a candidate whenever it was Abioye’s turn.
The claimants also prayed the court to nullify letters issued by Egbedore Local Government in August 2020 inviting the Abioye family to nominate a candidate, describing the action as illegal and contrary to Awo custom and tradition.
However, the defendants argued that the suit amounted to an abuse of court process, as a similar matter (HED/26/2020) was already pending before another court.
In their submissions, the Defendants’ Counsel from the Ministry of Justice led by Barrister Ambali Adisa who appeared alongside Ibunkun Adeoye Esq. drew the court’s attention to the Alawo of Awo Chieftaincy Declaration of 1979, which recognises only four ruling houses, namely Awojobi, Akinsilo, Abioye and Okunji.
They maintained that no ruling house known as Jogunade, Yebokun, or Yebokun/Jogunade/Abioye exists under the extant declaration.
Delivering judgment, Justice Olusegun Agboola held that the Osun State Government acted legally and properly in appointing the Hon. Adegboye Taiwo Rasaq, as the Alawo of Awo.
Read also
•APC chieftain, Kayode Sowade Appointed Osun City Boy Movement Director
The court ruled that it was indeed the turn of the Abioye ruling house to fill the vacant stool and that Hon. Adeboye Taiwo is a bona fide member of that ruling house.
Justice Agboola further held that there is no ruling house known as Jogunade in the Alawo chieftaincy declaration and described the claimants’ attempt to identify as members of the Abioye ruling house as an afterthought, noting that earlier proceedings showed they had consistently presented themselves as Jogunade.
The court also upheld the actions of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Egbedore Local Government Council, ruling that they acted correctly in inviting the Abioye ruling house to nominate a candidate.
In conclusion, the court dismissed the suit in its entirety and awarded ₦1 million costs against the claimants.
