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From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
An Oyo State High Court in Ibadan, yesterday, dismissed a suit filed by Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Senator Lekan Balogun, challenging the invalidation of his right to wear a beaded crown.
Balogun and seven other high chiefs of the Olubadan-in-Council had jointly sued the state government for denying them their rights to wear beaded crowns.
The administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi had set up a Commission of Enquiry to amend the 1957 Chieftaincy Declaration of Ibadanland and elevate the High Chiefs to beaded-crown Obas. However, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, the Osi Olubadan and a member of the Olubadan-in-Council, had rejected the elevation and instituted a suit to challenge the constitution of the committee and the government’s action.
In January 19, 2018, the trial judge handling the matter, Justice Olajumoke Aiki, nullified the elevation, describing it as null and void.
The Ajimobi-led administration, however, appealed the judgment at the Court of Appeal in Ibadan and the appellate court set aside the judgment of the lower court and ordered a retrial.
On his assumption of office in 2019, Governor Seyi Makinde, instead of going ahead with the retrial of the case, entered into a consent judgment with Ladoja, which resulted in an agreement to forgo the idea of wearing beaded crowns.
The High Chiefs, dissatisfied with consent judgment because they were not parties in the case, therefore, rejected the terms of settlement. They subsequently approached the court to seek the nullification of the consent judgment, saying it violated their rights to wear beaded crowns as vested upon them by the law.
At the hearing of the suit, yesterday, counsel to the High Chiefs, Kehinde Eleja (SAN), informed the court that they had filed an application for the discontinuance of the suit. He said the respondents had been served with the application and urged the court to grant his prayer in the interest of peace and justice of Ibadanland. He urged the court not to dismiss the suit, but to strike it out.
Counsel to the state government, Mr Sanya Akinyele, confirmed the receipt of service and did not oppose the application for withdrawal.
In his judgment, the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Munta Abimbola, dismissed the suit and awarded no cost.
