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SPOTLIGHTS
- Two cases against the Onipokia of Ipokia dismissed
- Asade Royal Family lacked legal standing to challenge the selection
- Contempt of court case dismissed due to procedural errors
From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta on Tuesday struck out two cases instituted against the Onipokia of Ipokia, Oba Yisa Olaniyan, by the Asade Royal Family of Ipokia.
The Asade family had challenged the selection of Oba Olaniyan as the Onipokia and also instituted a contempt of court case against him.
However, in his ruling on the two cases on Tuesday, the presiding judge, Justice Ogunfowora, struck out the eligibility case, ruling that the Asade family lacked locus standi to challenge the nomination and selection of the traditional ruler.
The judge posited that the claimants were not in a legal position to challenge the candidacy of Oba Olaniyan for the Onipokia stool, noting that only an eligible member of the ruling house has the locus to challenge the nomination of Oba Olaniyan.
He also ruled that the Asade family could not file the case on behalf of the concerned party; hence, the case was struck out.
On the contempt of court proceeding, Justice Ogunfowora ruled that contempt against the court is “sui generis” and has procedures that must be followed.
He faulted the claimants for failing to follow the procedures to establish and prove the contempt of court case against the defendant and subsequently struck out the case.
