Society Gists

The Appeal Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital, has ordered that the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, should remain in office, setting aside the ruling of the Osun State High Court which held that the appointment and installation of the monarch was illegal.

The high court presided over by Justice Yinka Aderibigbe in 2011 sacked the traditional ruler after faulting his nomination, selection, appointment and installation processes. The kingmakers of the town then headed for the appeal court to challenge the judgment.

The judgment delivered by Justice Ambi-Usi Danjuma on Friday faulted the order made by the high court setting aside the action of the kingmakers.

The court ordered that Olanipekun should continue to be in office as Ataoja of Osogbo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

In his reaction, the lead counsel for the first and second respondents, Mr. Adewale Adegoke, said his team would have to study the judgment before taking the next step.

“We have not got copies of the judgment, so we have not studied them. When we read and study them, we will decide whether we should explore the right of appeal to the Supreme Court or apply that the case file should be transferred to the high court for continuation of hearing.”

On the other hand, a counsel to the appellant, Mr. Gbadebo Adesina, expressed delight over the judgment, saying it was in the interest of justice and that “there is no winner; there is no loser; the people of Osogbo are winning collectively.”

Meanwhile, there was apprehension in Osogbo, especially around the popular Oja Oba where the Ataoja Palace is located.

The police, had in anticipation of violence, deployed an armoured personnel carrier and policemen in the palace to prevent breakdown of law and order.

The siren-blaring APC patrolled the area and only reduced in intensity when it was obvious that there was no trouble in sight.

Our correspondent gathered that the monarch has been in seclusion for some days in preparation for the Osun Festival which comes up in early August.

But there was jubilation inside the palace as the news filtered in from the Court of Appeal, Akure where judgment in the appeal filed by the monarch was delivered.

It will be recalled that some youths had attempted to forcefully eject the monarch from the palace when the High Court in Osogbo sacked him as the monarch.