The Olanwa Ruling House of Isheri-Olofin has asked a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja to quash the purported installation of Ibrahim Olasunkanmi Bello as the Oba-elect of the community.
Alhaji Adebiyi Lamidi, Prince Moruf Adebiyi and Prince Lukeman Adebiyi, who filed the suit for themselves and on behalf of the Olanwa Ruling House, said that Bello was installed despite a subsisting court order.
The plaintiffs, through their lawyer, Mr George Oguntade (SAN), had filed a motion asking the court to restrain the first defendant as the Oba Elect of Isheri Olofin.
The motion was argued on November 22, 2024, and a ruling was delivered on December 11, 2024.
According to the claimants, Bello was installed as the Oba on the same day the court ruled to uphold the plaintiffs’ motion and restrained him from parading himself as Oba elect.
The plaintiffs also filed a motion to set aside the installation, while also commencing contempt proceedings against the first defendant.
Other defendants in the suit are the Balogun of Isheri-Olofin, Chief Fasasi Balogun; the Eletu of Isheri-Olofin, Chief Saheed Adebiyi; the Otun Of Isheri-Olofin, Chief Kolawole Ogundeyi; the Osi Of Isheri-Olofin, Chief Idowu Erinfolami; the Ajiroba of Isheri-Olofin, Chief Lateet Ilyas Abogunloko; and the Iyaolode of Isheri-Olofin, Chief Ekundayo Abogunloko.
The rest are the Ajigbeda of Isheri-Olofin, Chief Simbiat Abogunloko; the Aro of Isheri-Olofin, Chief Wasiu Ogundeyi; Chairman Egbe Idimu Local Council Development Area, Alimosho; the Chieftaincy Committee of Alimosho Local Government; the Lagos State Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs and the Governor of Lagos State.
The plaintiffs are praying for “a restorative order setting aside the purported installation of the first defendant as the new Oba of Isheri-Olofin at a ceremony which took place at the Alimosho Local Government Secretariat on December 11, 2024.
“An order restraining the 12th and 13th defendants (chieftaincy ministry and the governor) from affording any credence or recognition whatsoever to the purported installation of the first defendant as the new Oba of Isheri-Olofin pending the hearing and determination of this suit.
“An order of interlocutory injunction restraining the first defendant from performing the duties and responsibilities of Oba of Isheri-Olofin pending the hearing and determination of this suit.
“An order of interlocutory injunction restraining the state government from presenting the Staff of Office of Oba of Isheri-Olofin to the first defendant and restraining him from receiving the same pending the hearing and determination of the suit.”
The motion was supported by an affidavit deposed to by Chief Lamidi, head of the claimant’s royal family, which is one of the four ruling houses of Isheri-Olofin.
The affidavit argues that it was the turn of the Olanwa ruling house to fill the vacant Obaship Stool of Isheri-Olofin under the extant Isheri-Olofin Chieftaincy Declaration, dated June 1, 1983.
According to Lamidi, the last Oba of Isheri-Olofin was Oba Wahab Ayinde Balogun [Olofin V] who hailed from the Olaigbo Ruling House and ruled for over 35 years until he joined his ancestors on February 8, 2022, aged 95.
Following his demise, the families of Isheri-Olofin were said to have written to the Commissioner for Local Government on June 6, 2022, to introduce Prince Bilaminu Kola Balogun as the Regent of Isheri Olofin.
In response, the ministry, through the Chairman of the Egbe-Idimu LCDA, was quoted to have unanimously approved the appointment of Prince Ola Balogun as Regent of Isheri-Olofin, vide a September 27, 2022 letter.
Following rival claims to the vacant Obaship Stool of Isheri-Olofin, the claimants on July 25, 2024, approached the court.
The claimants also filed a motion on notice for interlocutory injunction seeking a number of injunctive reliefs, including restraining the first defendant from parading himself as the Oba Elect of Isheri-Olofin.
According to the claimants, while the order for injunction was pending, “the first to 12th defendants contemptuously proceeded to plan and organise an Installation ceremony which took place on December 11, the same day the court restrained the first defendant from parading himself as the Oba of Isheri-Olofin.”