The Federal Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin, on Tuesday, removed the
Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye, by setting aside last
year’s judgment of a Kwara State High Court which upheld his
appointment and installation by the Kwara State government.
It will be recalled that the legal tussle had been on for two years now
through the challenge from a rival Olugbense Ruling House.
Delivering the judgment in the appeal suit no CA/IL/71/2012, Justice
Hussain Mukhtar restrained Oba Esuwoye from parading himself as the
Olofa of Offa and ordered the Attorney- General of the state and the
governor to install Alhaji (Prince) Abdulrauf Adegboyega Keji as the new
Olofa in his stead.
The judge upheld the evidences of the
appellants (Olugbense Ruling House and Prince Adegboyega Keji) and
granted all their 16 reliefs which included the cancellation of
appointment and installation of Alhaji Esuwoye.
The court held
that it believed the claim of the Olugbense Ruling House that the
ascension to the throne of Olofa of Offa is by rotation between the
Olugbense Ruling House and Anilerin Ruling House which had been
established since 1969.
“The rotation principle has been
established since 1969 when the late Oba keji from the Olugbense Ruling
House agreed to step down from the throne and allowed the late Oba
Mustapha Olawore Olanipekun from the Anilerin Ruling House to ascend the
throne in order to allow peace to reign in offa. This was after the
intervention of the government”, the court stated.
The
appellants had among others, prayed the court to declare that Adegboyega
Keji “ is the validly and duly nominated candidate to the stool of
Olofa of Offa and entitled to be appointed and installed the Olofa.”’
They also prayed for the nullification of the appointment and
installation of Esuwoye with a perpetual injunction to restrain him from
parading himself as the Olofa of Offa.
Courtesy: Nigerian Tribune
It will be recalled that the legal tussle had been on for two years now through the challenge from a rival Olugbense Ruling House.
Delivering the judgment in the appeal suit no CA/IL/71/2012, Justice Hussain Mukhtar restrained Oba Esuwoye from parading himself as the Olofa of Offa and ordered the Attorney- General of the state and the governor to install Alhaji (Prince) Abdulrauf Adegboyega Keji as the new Olofa in his stead.
The judge upheld the evidences of the appellants (Olugbense Ruling House and Prince Adegboyega Keji) and granted all their 16 reliefs which included the cancellation of appointment and installation of Alhaji Esuwoye.
The court held that it believed the claim of the Olugbense Ruling House that the ascension to the throne of Olofa of Offa is by rotation between the Olugbense Ruling House and Anilerin Ruling House which had been established since 1969.
“The rotation principle has been established since 1969 when the late Oba keji from the Olugbense Ruling House agreed to step down from the throne and allowed the late Oba Mustapha Olawore Olanipekun from the Anilerin Ruling House to ascend the throne in order to allow peace to reign in offa. This was after the intervention of the government”, the court stated.
The appellants had among others, prayed the court to declare that Adegboyega Keji “ is the validly and duly nominated candidate to the stool of Olofa of Offa and entitled to be appointed and installed the Olofa.”’
They also prayed for the nullification of the appointment and installation of Esuwoye with a perpetual injunction to restrain him from parading himself as the Olofa of Offa.
Courtesy: Nigerian Tribune
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