Onipara stool: Court adjourns hearing till June 8
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
Justice Nasiru Agbelu of the Ogun State High Court, Sagamu on Thursday, adjourned the suit brought before it by the Amororo Ruling House of Ipara Remo challenging the nomination and coronation of Onipara of Ipara, Oba Taiwo Taiwo to June 8 for hearing.
The Amororo Ruling House represented by Madam Adetimeyin Gbowowa, Prince Fatai Adeniji Sonola, Prince Muyiwa Adeyemi and Prince Haruna Adewale had dragged Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Afolabi Afuape, the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, and kingmakers at Ipara Remo to court over an alleged imposition of Oba Taiwo Taiwo on the ancient town.
Others dragged to court were the Secretary to Remo North Local Government; Olori Emo of Ipara Remo, Adekunle Ayoka; Oluwo of Ipara Remo, Oluwole Sorionola; the Acting Olotu Iwarefa of Ipara Remo, Adeyemi Opadipe; the Acting Apena of Ipara Remo, Chief Odubayo Ojeleye; Asipa Emo of Ipara-Remo, Owolabi Opadipe and Balogun of Ipara-Remo, Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi.
However, when the matter came up for hearing yesterday, Olatunji Ayanlaja SAN, counsel for the 11th defendant in the suit, Oba Taiwo Taiwo announced his first appearance in the matter saying that his client told him of moves being made for out of court settlement and has therefore suspended filing any court processes over the matter.
The counsel to the claimants, the Amororo Ruling House, Otunba Rotimi Onafadeji however said that he was not aware of such move but that the matter was actually listed for hearing.
Otunba Onafadeji disclosed that his clients had not instructed him on such reconciliatory moves and there was nothing he could do without a word from them.
The counsel to the claimants said that he would therefore not mind for an adjournment in the face of the out of court settlement reportedly being made by the 11th defendant, Oba Taiwo Taiwo.
The court thereafter adjourned the matter to June 8 for hearing
The Amororo family in a suit number HCS/90/2021 claimed Oba Taiwo Taiwo is not a member of Amororo Ruling House and therefore not entitled to have participated in the nomination exercise of the Onipara of Ipara.
The Amororo family maintained that the nomination process leading to the selection of Oba Taiwo for the vacant stool was null and void.
The royal family also noted that the selection process for the filling of the Onipara of Ipara Remo stool conducted by the kingmakers is contrary to the native law and custom of Ipara-Remo.
The ruling house however prayed the court for order setting aside the nomination and selection of Oba Taiwo as Onipara of Ipara-Remo Oba elect.
The Amororo family further prayed the court for an order directing the state government to set in motion, another nomination and selection exercise towards the filing of the vacant stool of Onipara of Ipara Remo area of the state.
The ruling house also want the court to issue a perpetual Injunction restraining Oba Taiwo from parading and holding himself out as the Onipara of Ipara-Remo.
The prayers added, “An Order setting aside the interview of nominated candidates for the selection of the Onipara of Ipara-Remo, by the 10th Defendant not been saddled with the statutory role in the selection exercise of Onipara of Ipara Chieftaincy.
“An Order setting aside the purported nomination and selection of the 11th defendant as the Onipara of Ipara-Remo Oba elect.
“An Order directing the 1st 4th defendants to set in motion, another nomination and selection exercise towards the filing of the vacant stool of Onipara of Ipara Remo, Ogun State.
“An Order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the 11th Defendant not being a member of Amororo Ruling House of Onipara of Ipara-Remo Chieftaincy from participating in the nomination and selection of the Onipara of Ipara-Remo Chieftaincy.
“An Order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the 11th defendant from parading and or holding himself out as the Onipara of Ipara-Remo, Ogun State.
“An Order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the 1st to 9th defendant from recognizing the 11th Defendant as the Onipara of Ipara-Remo, Ogun State.”
