Royal Houses Warn Osun Govt Against Imposition Of New Monarch

-Threaten To Drag Gov Adeleke, Others To Court

By Grace Isaac, Osogbo

Royal houses in Awo, headquarters of Egbedore local government area of Osun state, have kicked against purported plan to install Taiwo AbduRasaq Adegboye, as the new Alawo of Awo.

The princes and princesses at a press conference in Osogbo, on Wednesday, warned Governor Ademola Adeleke against presenting staff of office to Adegboye who they alleged did not hail from any of the four ruling houses in Awo town.

They threatened to drag the Governor and others involved in the matter to court if they go ahead with the installation of Adeboye despite being deposed by court of appeal.

Recall that the stool of Alawo became vacant after the demise of Oba Musa Olatunbosun Adebayo who joined his ancestors on June 24, 2020.

Speaking on behalf of other Princes and Princesses, Prince Dhikrullahi Babatunde Oloyede from Abioye ruling house said prince Taiwo Adegboye is not from any of the ruling house in the town

He stressed that an Appeal Court in Akure Judicial Division had earlier nullified the “illegal appointment and subsequent installation of Adegboye Taiwo Rasaq as new Alawo by Gboyega Oyetola’s Government in September 13th,2021, through its landmark Judgement dated 8th day of August,2022”.

The court according to him had ordered that Adegboye should stop parading himself as the new Alawo and desist from wearing any insignia or beads.

Prince Oloyede stressed that all the ruling houses upon appeal court judgment wrote several letters to the governor, Attorney General of the state, Commissioner for local government and Chieftaincy Affairs informing them to take action on the judgment.

The ruling houses said that governor Adeleke instead of obeying the order of court went ahead to and fixed December 9 for the Installation of Taiwo as the new monarch where his immediate senior sister, Yeyeluwa Adeleke Modupe Sanni will also be given chieftaincy titled.

The princes from Akinsilo ruling house, Awojobi , Mogaji Abioye and Okunji ruling houses in Awo, contented that “the deposed monarch does not hail from any of the four ruling houses in Awo”.

According to them ” On the 8th of August, 2022, the Court of Appeal, Akure Judicial Division in its judgment set aside the selection, the appointment, the approval and the subsequent installation of one Adegboye Abdul Rasag Taiwo as the new Alawo of Awo in Egbedore Local Government of Osun State.

“The Court further order that the Appeal of the said Adegboye Abdul Rasaq Taiwo lacks merit and same was dismissed with N800,000:00 costs.

“Consequently, the Court further order that Adegboye Abdul Rasaq Taiwo be restrained from parading himself as or performing any of the functions of Alawo of Awo or wearing any insignia of the office of Alawo of Awo including beads, crowns and all other paraphernalia of the stool of Alawo

“In the said judgment, the Court of Appeal bemoaned the office of the Honourable Attorney General of Osun State and all its officers for misleading the government of Osun State in installing Adegboye Abdul Rasaq Taiwo as Alawo of Awo. In the words of the Court,

“The Court of Appeal finally held that the actions of the Appellants including the Governor, the Attorney General of Osun State and the said Adegboye Abdul Rasaq Adegboye were in total disregard for the Court of Appeal and they are guilty of contempt.

“Upon receipt of the Certified True Copy of this judgment, the Governor, the Attorney General and Adegboye Abdul Rasaq Taiwo were served with the copy of the judgment. Our lawyers also wrote several letters to the Governor and the Osun State Attorney General to enforce the terms of the judgment but because of political influence, they closed their eyes to the judgment.

“When this new government came to power under Senator Ademola Adeleke all the Ruling Houses who felt aggrieved wrote two sets of letters to the Governor and the Attorney General for them to respect the rule of law.

“In the first letter dated 23rd August, 2022 titled “Re-Court Removal of Hon. Taiwo Abdul Rasaq Adegboye as Alawo of Awo. A call on your government to redeem its image before judictary.” This letter was jettisoned with impunity by the Governor and its government. On the 26th April, 2023, another letter titled “Re Suit No: HOS/84/2020 Prince Lawal Oloyede Oyekunle & Ors Vs. Alhaji Abdul Kareem Adegboye & Ors. Admonition to exercise restraint in presenting or approving the presentation of instrument of office as Alawo of Awo to Hon. Abdul Rasaq Taiwo Adegboye in flagrant disobedience of the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

” The above letter was written to the Governor and his Attorney General when all the Ruling Houses authoritatively heard that notwithstanding the judgment of the Court of Appeal and its admonition not to recognize Adegboye Abdul Rasaq Taiwo as Alawo of Awo, the new Governor Senator Ademola Adeleke had approved the grant and presentation of instrument of office to the deposed Alawo of Awo, an act which is in contempt of Court.

“Unfortunately, the same Governor Ademola Adeleke who had subscribed to the Oath of office to obey the Constitution of Nigeria and the Rule of Law still fell to the ill-advise of the new Attorney General of Osun State against the recommendation of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs that since the case is still in both the High Court and the Supreme Court, they should exercise restraint.

“The said Alawo of Awo’s file was minuted to the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for justice who now, under the political influence of politicians advised the Governor to go ahead with the presentation of the instrument of office to the deposed monarch.

“Subsequently, another letter was written to the Governor dated 5th September, 2023 with the same title as the one dated 26/4/2023 but because the deposed monarch had agreed to install the immediate biological sister of the Governor and her husband namely Athaji Aderemi Sanni as Bobajiroro of Awo and Yeyeluwa Modupeola Adeleke-Sanni as Yeye Bobajiroro of Awoland, the Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke quickly approved the presentation of the instrument of office to Adegboye Abdul Rasaq Taiwo, the deposed Alawo of Awo which event is fixed for 9th December, 2023 at Awo.

“In order not to take law into our hands, we have instructed our lawyers to approach Court again by filing a fresh Suit “Originating Summons” to ask the Court to determine whether having submitted to the jurisdiction of the Courts 1.e High Court of Osun State in Suit No: HOS/84/2020 and the Supreme Court in Appeal No: SC/CV/1079/2022, which case and Appeal are still pending, the Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, his Attorney General, his Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Adegboye Abdul Rasaq Taiwo can go ahead to present the instrument of office to the deposed monarch The new Suit with Suit No: HEJ/13/2023 had been filed along with motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction to restrain the Governor from presenting the instrument of office to the deposed monarch. All of them had been served with the new case.

“If with all these, the Governor still maintain its stand not to obey the judgment and order of Court, but went ahead to present the deposed monarch with instrument of office and the installation of the immediate Senior sister of the Governor Yeyeluwa Modupeola Adeleke Sanni and his husband with Chieftaincy titles, we will have no option than to cite all the officers concerned with contempt of Court and to commit them to prison. A stitch in time saves nine.