By Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
Ogun Customary Court of Appeal sitting at Abeokuta has upheld the judgement of Grade II Customary Court, Ijebu-Ife declaring among other things that Ipebi, Ijebu-Imushin in Ijebu East local government area of the state belong to the descendants of Ayon Olu and Ayon Dugba family.
Justice Anthony Araba, according to the Certified True Copy of the judgement made available to our Correspondent and co-signed by him and President of Ogun Customary Court of Appeal, Mobolaji Ayodele Ojo, delivered the judgement on December 22, 2021.
The trio of Olukayode Adeyemi Ayongberu, Rev. Gbenga Olupitan Ayongberu and Sunday Olupitan representing Ayonolu and Ayondugba family in a suit number IF/CCGII/13CL/2019 had dragged Folarin Tanimowo Oduneye, Sunday Tanimowo Oduneye and Ven Awoniyi Tanimowo Oduneye before Grade II Customary Court, Ijebu-Ife over the ownership of Ipebi community among other reliefs.
The Customary Court, according to the Certified True Copy of the judgement dated October 15, 2019 and signed by Apostle Yinka Ewetuga, the President of the court as well as Mr T A Ola Oluwo and Mrs Sokale Bukunola members of the panel, had among other things declared the plaintiffs, Mr Olukayode Adeyemi Ayongberu and two others being descendants of Ayonolu and Ayondugba as the rightful owner of Ipebi community.
However, Folarin Tanimowo Oduneye, Sunday Tanimowo Oduneye and Ven Awoniyi Tanimowo Oduneye having being dissatisfied with the judgement of the Customary Court filled an appeal dated July 12, 2021 before Customary Court of Appeal, Abeokuta
The Oduneyes who were the appellants had joined Olukayode Adeyemi Ayongberu and two others as respondents in a suit number OG/CCA/28/2020.
The appellants had urged the appeal court to void the judgement of the lower court on the ground that it lacks jurisdiction among other things to entertain the suit.
Justice Anthony Araba in his judgement however dismissed the appeal of the Oduneyes for lacking merit and went ahead to affirm the judgement of the Grade II Customary Court, Ijebu Ife which among other things declared that Ipebi, Ijebu-Imushin is owned by lineage of Ayonolu and Ayondugba as represented by Olukayode Adeyemi Ayongberu and others.