Families petition Governor Abiodun over plot by paramount ruler to illegally influence installation of monarch

Four families constituting the Iwaye Dodo Bi Oke Ruling House of Ipokia, in Ipokia local government area of Ogun State have petitioned the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to call the Director of Civil Litigation, Barrister Akinside to order over alleged plot to flout court ruling in regards the vacant stool in the town.

Penpushing reports that, the petition dated April 22 which  signed by Secretary, Iwaye Dodo Bi Oke ruling house, Aguda Ruth Okeleye also fingered Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle  as been part of the alleged purported planned installation of  Yisa Olusola Olaniyan as the next traditional ruler

The copies of the petition were sent to Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ogun State, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly ,Secretary to Ogun State Government, Chief of staff to Ogun State Governor , Commissioner of police, AND Director State Security Service

The families told the Governor that, the petition was collectively written as a follow-up to their previous letters, stressing that they were taken aback by the actions of Olu of Ilaro,  alongside  Mr Isiaka Abolurin and Chief Akeem Adigun  who believed that they are above the laws of the land as far as government is concerned

‘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 petition reads.

Penpushing further reports that, the petitioners explained that the Asade, Adekanbi, Oteni and Okeleye are the only Anago royal families that are the descendants of Iwaye Dodo Bi Oke ruling house, alleging  that, the 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 Olusola Olaniyan, a non-member of Iwaye Dodo Bi Oke ruling house by do or die machinations’.

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

‘ We have reliably gathered that Barrister Akinsinde has reneged on his oath of office upon being commissioned by Mr. Isiaka Abolurin, having initiated a recommendation / legal advice to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to go ahead with the installation of Yisa Olusola 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’.

Penpushing reports that, the families explained that, the last letter issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Ogun State on the vacant stool of Onipokia of Ipokia was the nullification of the initial process of selecting the Onipokia of Ipokia land, dated 10th May, 2019, for not following due process.

‘ Since this letter was released, no other letter has been issued by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for any new process to the vacant stool till date. Since 30th May, 2019, a case has been instituted over the stool in the High Court of competent jurisdiction in Ogun State’

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

 Penpushing also reports that, the petitioners emphasized that, the above ruling remains and in full force, pointing out that, 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’.

‘The Director of Civil Litigation therefore 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 Ogun 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’, the aggrieved families stated

‘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 the Director of Civil Litigation, Barrister 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 Mr Isiaka Abolurin and his cohorts/group as severally boasted by them in public’.

‘We all voted for your Excellency 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 your Excellency as a law abiding Governor that always uphold the rule of law without fear or favour’.

‘We humbly urge your Excellency to shun any advances that might further undermine the course of justice and direct the Director of Civil Litigation, Barrister Akinsinde to be called to order, while ensure justice is done in the matter’.