Olubadan: Ajimobi files 11 grounds of appeal to upturn sack of 21 Obas

Dissatisfied with last Friday’s judgment of Justice Olajumoke Aiki, who sacked 21 Obas installed in Ibadan by the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the latter has filed 11 grounds of appeal before the Court of Appeal to quash the decision of the state high court.
The Governor joined his predecessor, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, who is the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland; Justice Akintunde Boade; and other members of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry on the Olubadan Chieftaincy as respondents.
Ajimobi, in a seven-page suit, No: M/317/2017, filed on his behalf before the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Yusuf Ali, claimed that Ladoja, who is the first respondent, lacked locus standi to prosecute the case, adding that the suit discloses no reasonable or any cause of action at all, hence “the judge erred by refusing to follow decided authorities of the Appellate Court cited before him and thereby embarked on clustered justice against the appellant”.
The suit further stated: “The judge erred in law and gravely misdirected himself in holding that the case of the 1st respondent as constituted is not academic, hypothetical, and will serve no useful purpose.”
The Governor held that Ibadan chieftaincy is a matter that affects all Ibadan indigenes both within and in the diaspora and since the 1st respondent did not allege any infringement of his right or denial of any entitlement by the act of the appellant, the case should be dismissed, stressing: “If at all the 1st respondent has any right, which is denied, he has it in common with millions of Ibadan indigenes and was unable to show special interest to elevate his right to donate locus standi.”
The appeal further stressed that there was no provision in the Oyo State Chiefs law that takes away the rights of the governor from institiuting a commission of inquiry to look into issues on matters on which the House of Assembly could make law.
It therefore faulted the trial judge for resolving that the governor has no power to set up a commission of inquiry on the issue of beaded crown wearing Obas and coronet crown wearing Obas contrary to the provisions of the Chiefs law of Oyo State, which donates such powers and authority to the governor.