Why Lekan Balogun can’t be next Olubadan of Ibadan —Ex-Oyo AG writes Makinde – Newstrends
Connect with us

metro

Why Lekan Balogun can’t be next Olubadan of Ibadan —Ex-Oyo AG writes Makinde

Published

on

High Chief Mashood Olalekan Balogun

There are strong indications that legal tussle may affect the appointment and installation of the next Olubadan of Ibadan.

The PUNCH had reported that 41st Olubadan of Ibadan, Saliu Adetunji, died on Sunday at the age of 93 at the University College Hospital, Ibadan and has since been buried according to Islamic rites.

A few hours after the monarch’s death, family members, friends, and well-wishers thronged the Aliiwo and Alarere Compounds of Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Chief Lekan Balogun, the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, who is the next in line to become Olubadan of Ibadanland, according to tradition.

But a former Attorney-General of Oyo State, Michael Lana, in a letter to the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, argued that Lekan Balogun is unfit to be crowned as the next Olubadan of Ibadan.

Ongoing legal cases

The lawyer cited some ongoing legal cases that affected the eligibility of Balogun to become the Olubadan.

In the letter dated January 3, Lana explained that installing Balogun as Olubadan would amount to an “aberration and illegality”.

According to the ex-Attorney-General, Balogun, some high chiefs and Baales had been conferred their titles by the late Abiola Ajimobi, when he was the Oyo State Governor.

READ ALSO:

Part of the letter read, “Kindly note, your excellency, that your predecessor in office, without thinking of the legal effects of his actions on the future of Ibadan traditional institution, conferred the title of Obaship on some high chiefs and Baales and gave them the right to wear beaded crowns and coronets in 2017.

“This action was challenged in suit No. M317/ 2017-high chief Rashid Ladoja V the governor of Oyo state.

“However, the court of appeal in Appeal No.CA/111/99/ 2018 set aside the said Judgment of Aiki J on technical grounds without touching on the merit of the case and sent the case hack for retrial,” the lawyer continued.

“Upon your excellency’s assumption of office, it was resolved that the matter be settled amicably and the same was settled through the instrumentality of a Terms of Settlement which became the judgment of the court.

“The said Terms of Settlement recognised the illegality of the said actions and therefore set aside the gazettes by which the said chiefs became Obas with a right to wear beaded crowns and coronets.

“These high chiefs and Baales were dissatisfied with this consent judgment and therefore instituted two separate suits to set aside the consent judgment while at the same time clinging to the title of Obas (which actually is in contempt of court).

“One of these cases is Suit No: Suit No. I/ 22/ 2020-HRM Oba (senator) Lekan Balogun & ors V governor of Oyo state & ors.”

No Oba can ascend Olubadan throne – Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1957

The lawyer further explained that though the judgment amended the Ibadan chieftaincy customary law, “the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1957 was not amended and therefore remains extant”.

He added, “Under that declaration and all relevant law, no Oba can ascend to the throne of Olubadan.

“In other words, as long as the high chiefs still cling to the title of Oba, they cannot ascend to that throne and any installation of any of them during the pendency of that suit is illegal, null and void.

READ ALSO:

“It is in line with this legal situation that I advice, most humbly, that you should withhold any approval of any high chief to become the 0lubadan so that you will not also join in the desecration of Ibadan chieftaincy customary law.”

‘What can be done for Balogun to be installed’

Lana explained that until the cases are concluded or withdrawn, Balogun would be unfit to be installed as Olubadan.

He said, “There are only two ways to deal with this situation: one is for the high chiefs to withdraw the aforementioned cases and the other is to wait for the court to pronounce on it before any step is taken to install an Olubadan.

“If the court holds that they have the right to be Obas and entitled to wear beaded crowns, then they are perpetually barred from becoming another Oba. Nowhere in the customary law of any Yoruba town is an Oba elevated to become another Oba.

“On the other hand, the court holds that the Terms of Settlement stands, and their Obaship title is illegal, then they are free to be elevated to the post of Olubadan.”

Punch

metro

BREAKING: EFCC, Cubana Chief Priest agree to settle out of court

Published

on

BREAKING: EFCC, Cubana Chief Priest agree to settle out of court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and celebrity bartender, Pascal Okechukwu, popularly called Cubana Chief Priest, have agreed to settle the naira abuse charge slammed against the socialite out of court.

The Federal High Court in Lagos State, on Wednesday, April 17, granted Cubana Chief Priest N10m bail with two sureties in like sum.

The court on Thursday fixed June 5 for a report of settlement in the case

READ ALSO:

He was arraigned before Justice Kehinde Ogundare on three counts bordering on abuse of naira, spraying and tampering with the nation’s currency at a social event contrary to the provisions of the Central Bank Act of 2007.

The socialite was alleged to have sprayed the naira on February 13, 2024 at Eko Hotel.

Cubana Chief Priest was said to have also committed the offences while dancing during a social event.

Continue Reading

metro

Security forces, vigilantes arrest kidnapper terrorising communities in Kogi

Published

on

Abubakar Ali Damina

Security forces, vigilantes arrest kidnapper terrorising communities in Kogi

Security forces have arrested a suspected kidnapper and gun runner terrorising communities in Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The suspect, Abubakar Ali Damina,43, was arrested on Monday at Ofodo village close to Igabada during a joint operation conducted by security forces and vigilante operatives led by Mohammed Ajitata.

Abubakar, who hails from Bida in Niger State, was found in possession of a single-barrel dane gun, along with various suspicious items including charms, a gun firing cap, and local bullets.

READ ALSO:

Preliminary investigations revealed his connection to an unidentified Hausa man from Shanawa, Lokoja LGA, from whom he allegedly purchased the gun.

Abubakar confessed to his involvement in criminal activities and disclosed his migration history from Niger State to various locations before settling in Igabada, Igalamela/Odolu LGA, in 2021.

The Igamela-Odolu Local Government Departmental Security Officer, Mohammed Aminu, who confirmed the arrest on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, said the suspect is currently detained at the Kogi State Vigilante Service facility for further investigation.

Security forces, vigilantes arrest kidnapper terrorising communities in Kogi

Continue Reading

metro

Three ‘EFCC officials’ arrested for kidnapping, robbery in Nasarawa

Published

on

Three ‘EFCC officials’ arrested for kidnapping, robbery in Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Police Command has announced the arrest of three fake officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the Nasarawa Local Government Area of the State.

This was contained in a press statement in Lafia on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Ramhan Nansel.

According to Nansel, the suspects who had been disturbing the peace of residents of the area recently launched an attack around the Federal Polytechnic in the Nasarawa LGA where they robbed people of their belongings and subsequently abducted a National Diploma student of the institution, Adudu Kingsley.

He further explained that the victim was released and the suspects arrested following painstaking efforts by officers of the command.

“On 17/04/2024 at about 1545hrs, a distress call was received that four individuals posing as the EFCC personnel, using a Toyota Corolla, green in colour, with registration number, Abuja YAB 509 TT, robbed some students of the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa at Samakwe Lodge behind Government College, Nasarawa LGA and abducted one Adudu Kingsley, an ND II Student of the same Polytechnic.

READ ALSO:

“Reacting to the unsavoury development, police operatives gave the suspects a hot chase and a roadblock was mounted at the Laminga junction to stop the suspects from escaping with the victim, but they hit the barrier and fled.

“Furthermore, police operatives at Anguwan Madugu were contacted to mount another roadblock, which the suspects sighted from a distance, abandoned their operational vehicle and the abducted student and fled.

“Luck ran out of one of the suspects as he was caught and beaten mercilessly by a mob before the arrival of the police while others fled. The suspect was rescued from the mob by the police and rushed to the Primary Health Care, Laminga, where he died while receiving treatment.”

However, it was stated that the operational vehicle of the suspects was recovered and taken to the station where a search was conducted and two identification cards identifying the fleeing members of the syndicate were recovered.

“A follow-up investigation into the case led to the arrest of three other members of the gang namely: Hyelda Aliyu Ibrahim, Henry Patrick Okwu and Shuaibu Abubakar (the operational driver of the syndicate) all males of Custom Quarters and Up Market area of Masaka where one iPhone 12 Promax, Huawei and one Tecno Spark 5 earlier robbed from some of their victims and fake EFCC ID cards were recovered from them as exhibits.

“The suspects have confessed to being the syndicate responsible for robbing and terrorising student areas in Keffi and Nasarawa LGAs. Efforts are ongoing to arrest one identified suspect who is at large.

Also, victims of their nefarious activities have come forward and identified the suspects.”

Nansel added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Nadada, had ordered the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Lafia, while assuring the public that the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution upon the conclusion of an investigation into the matter.T

Three ‘EFCC officials’ arrested for kidnapping, robbery in Nasarawa

Continue Reading

Trending

Skip to content