29 Years After, Court Deposes First Class Monarch In Ondo

Twenty-nine years after he was installed as monarch, an Owo High Court has deposed Oba Michael Adetunji Oluwole as the Olute of Ute in the Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The court also restrained the deposed monarch from parading himself as the Olute of Ute.

The order of Justice Ademola Enikuomehin which nullified the selection process of the first-class monarch also ordered for a fresh selection process to choose a new monarch for the town.

The judgment of the court followed a 29-year-old chieftaincy tussle between the Olule Omoloja Ruling House and the dethroned Oba Oluwole

The case had earlier been heard at the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court level and was referred to the Owo High Court, where Justice Enikuomehin delivered the Tuesday judgment.

Justice Enikuomehin ruled that the deposed monarch, who was a retired Major, should stop parading himself as Olute and ordered a fresh selection process from within the Olule Omoloja ruling lineage.

The Court held that deposed Oba Oluwole has no right to the throne as a member of the kingmakers, stressing that he cannot make himself king.

Speaking on the judgment, Counsel to the Claimant, Mr Adewumi Fabuluje, said it was victory at last for the Olule Omolaja Ruling House, stating that the case started in 1995 and traversed all courts.

Fabuluje explained that the case was returned from the Supreme Court to the High Court for a fresh hearing after judgment was awarded at the Appellate Courts.

On his part, Counsel to the State, F.K. Salami, noted that the judgment would be reviewed and necessary action would be taken.

Also, Princes Boboye and Shehu Omoloja described the judgment as a relief from long suffering from their original entitlement, which they claimed was hijacked by a stranger.