Olubadan-In-Council Agrees To Withdraw Court Case
Governor ‘Seyi Makinde may tarry no longer in giving his assent to the nomination of Otun Olubadan, Senator Lekan Balogun, as the next Olubadan of Ibadanland as the Olubadan-In-Council has unanimously agreed to withdraw the pending court case.
Newscoven.ng gathered that the decision to withdraw the case is a fallout of a closed-door meeting of the members of the Olubadan-in-Council held at the Olubadan Palace, Oja’ba, today.
Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola, after the meeting which lasted about two hours, said the high chiefs concurred with the admonition by the governor to withdraw the suit in court.
He further said the process of withdrawing the case has commenced, stressing that due process would be followed when asked about when the process would be concluded.
“The case was adjourned to the 1st of February this year and whatever happens, we would have to get to the court before the withdrawal can take place,” High Chief Ajibola said.
Recalled that the members of the Olubadan-in-Council met with Governor Makinde last Saturday over the issue of succession to the Olubadan throne which became vacant following the demise of Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso 1, on 2 January.
At the meeting, it was gathered that the court case was the main issue delaying government pronouncement of the next Olubadan as proposed by the Ibadan Kingmakers at their last week meeting.
The court case was instituted by the high chiefs to challenge the consent judgment nullifying the elevation granted them as royal majesties by the immediate past administration of the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
A former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Micheal Lana, had, barely 24 hours after the death of Oba Adetunji, gone to town with a letter, asking the governor not to assent any nomination to the vacant Ibadan stool by the kingmakers unless the court case is withdrawn.
The letter subsequently became the yardstick with which the general public views and judges the succession order to the vacant Olubadan stool.
However, the coronet-wearing obas who enjoyed the same promotion from their baaleship positions to royal highnesses with the high chiefs and who were at the Today’s meeting at the Oja’ba Palace are yet to take decision on the withdrawal of the case in court.
It was gathered that they agreed to hold a separate meeting on Thursday) on the matter at the same venue.
Though the cases were similar, they were filed separately which made the royal highnesses not to be binded by the decision of the high chiefs.
