Barely 30 months after Oba Oyeleye Sikiru mount the throne of his forefathers as Onifiditi of Fiditi, a High Court, sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, has nullified the selection and appointment.
This was as the court granted a restraining injunction on further actions on the filling of the Onifiditi of Fiditi Stool, pending the determination of a suit on the matter.
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The PUNCH Newspaper reports that Justice K. B. Olawoyin made the pronouncement in his ruling over a suit, marked IHOY/59/2013, filed by two applicants, Samuel Ogunkunle and Bayo Oyewale against the traditional ruler.
The two applicants filed the suit against Oba Sakirudeen, Ademola Akande, Depo Oguntoyin, Kunle Oniyitan as the first, second, third and fourth defendants, respectively.
Also joined as defendants in the suit were the Oyo State governor (fifth), the state Commissioner for Justice (sixth), the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters (seventh) and Chief Adebola (eighth).
Delivering his judgment, Justice Olawoyin ruled that Oba Sakirudeen been removed and granted an injunction restraining further actions on filling Onifiditi of Fiditi Stool.
The trial judge also granted a mandatory injunction setting aside the presentation of the Staff of Office to Oba Sakirudeen on October 18, 2021, by the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde and other officials.
As stated in a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, Justice K.B. Olawoyin also granted “an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants jointly and/or severally by themselves, their servants, agents and/privies from taking any further actions, steps or proceedings towards or in pursuance of filling of the vacant stool of the Onifiditi of Fiditi, pending the determination of this suit.”
According to the court document, R. A. Olawuwo and B. M. Olimene appeared on February 1, 2024 for the claimants, while P. O. Alamu was the counsel for the first, second, third and eighth defendants.
O.A. Okeyinka appeared for the fourth defendant, while N. A. Abiola was the counsel for the fifth, sixth and seventh defendants.
In his judgment, Justice Olawoyin ruled that: “An order of mandatory injunction is hereby made/granted setting aside the presentation of Staff of Office to the first defendant as the Onifiditi of Fiditi on October 18, 2021, by the fifth, sixth and seventh defendants.”
He also awarded a cost of N200,000 in favour of the applicants against the first, second, third and eighth defendants and subsequently adjourned further hearing on the suit till 22 May, 2024.
