Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Asade Royal Family of the Iwaye-Dodo Ruling House of Ipokia, in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State, has urged state governor Dapo Abiodun not to take any action on filling the vacant stool of the Onipokia of Ipokia, saying the matter was still pending before an Ogun State High Court sitting in Ipokia.
The family members in a letter written by their lawyers, Yemi Oke and Olukayode Sanni, said that the state government was aware of the ruling of an Ogun State High Court sitting at Ilaro on August 19, 2019, which declared that the stool of the Onipokia remained vacant due to gross non compliance with the Chief Laws of Ogun State 2006, and that the parties involved should maintain status quo.
The family claimed further that the state government had also nullified the purported selection process for the new Onipokia of Ipokia initiated by the kingmakers on May 10, 2019 and the report of same action duly communicated to relevant stakeholders, including the Governor’s Office.
The ruling family said they had however been taken aback when they received a letter on November 13, dated September 9, 2019 and signed by one Adesoji Adewuyi, Director of Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ogun State, intimating them that the vacant stool of the Onipokia of Ipokia was among the subject matters the Oba Kehinde Olugbenle-led Chieftaincy Review Committee set up by Governor Dapo Abiodun deliberated upon.
The family held that the Chieftaincy Review Committee ought not to have deliberated on the vacant stool of the Onipokia since the matter was already before a competent court of law, noting the doing otherwise would only amount to a contempt of court.
They further alleged that the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, who also doubled as the Chairman of the Chieftaincy Review Committee, in collusion with some of the defendants in the case and their allies, have remained resolute in their bid to install one Yisa Olusola Olaniyan as the new Onipokia.
The family threatened to institute a contempt of court action against Oba Olugbenle and members of the Chieftaincy Review Committee if action on the forceful installation of the new Onipokia against a substantive court order is not put on hold within the next two weeks.