A High Court, in Lagos on Tuesday
stopped the coronation of Oba Hafeez Olakunle Badiru, as the Oba of Langbasa.The court also stopped him from
parading himself or holding himself out as the Oba of Langbasa.
In the suit filed in court by
Prince Saheed Adeniyi Sanni and other members of Langbasa community in Eti-Osa
Local Government Area of Lagos State, the claimants are asking the court to
nullify the appointment of Oba Hafeez Badiru as the Oba of Langbasa, on the
ground that he was not the authentic choice of the Kajerejaiye Chieftaincy
family of Langbasa, which is the family next in line to appoint the Oba of
Langbasa.
Named as defendants in the suit
are the governor of Lagos State, the Attorney-General, the Commissioner for
Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Chieftaincy Committee of Eti-Osa
LGA, Eti-Osa Local Government Council and Oba Hafeez Olakunle Badiru.
In an 86 paragraphs affidavit
deposed to by Prince Saheed Sanni, it was stated that by the Amended
Chieftaincy Declaration of Langbasa, it is the turn of the Kajerojaiye
Chieftaincy family to present the Oba and the said family has already picked
Prince Saheed Sanni as their candidate, he has been presented to the Kingmakers
who have in turn chosen him and presented him to the Eti-Osa LGA.
It was stated further that all
the traditional rites have been performed on Prince Saheed Sanni, by the entire
Langbasa community, who were only awaiting confirmation from the Lagos State
Executive Council.
It was suddenly on April 25,
2017, that they noticed the presence of armed policemen in the community, a
canopy and an array of government vehicles, from which Hafeez Badiru suddenly
emerged and his hands were lifted by some commissioners of Lagos State, who
there and then purported to proclaim him as Oba of Langbasa to the shock and
consternation of the entire community.
When the case came up on Tuesday,
before Hon Justice Onigbanjo, eminent lawyer and human rights activist,
Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, led Mr. David Fadile and Tosin Adesioye, for the
claimants.
In arguing the application for
interim injunction, Mr Adegboruwa told the court that it would amount to a
taboo for the court to allow to persons to be crowned as Oba in any community,
as the choice of an Oba is exclusively for the family of Kajerojaiye and not
the Lagos State Government.
In the suit, the claimants are
seeking the following reliefs…
A DECLARATION that based on the
decision and choice of the Kajerojaiye Elejigbo chieftaincy family of Langbasa
and the Kingmakers to the Langbasa Chieftaincy Declaration, the 1st Claimant is
the person entitled to the Obaship of Lagbansa in Eti-Osa Local Government Area
of Lagos State.
A DECLARATION that by virtue of
the Langbasa Chieftaincy Declaration regulating the Elejigbo chieftaincy, the
1st Claimant is the person entitled to the Obaship of Lagbansa in Eti-Osa Local
Government Area of Lagos State.
A DECLARATION that under the
custom and tradition of Langbasa town, the 1st Claimant is the person lawfully
and legally selected, recommended and nominated for appointment and
installation as the Oba Elejigbo of Langbasa in Eti-Osa Local Government Area
of Lagos State, to the exclusion of the 6th defendant.
A DECLARATION that the
defendants cannot bye-pass, ignore or reject the decision and choice of the
Kajerojaiye Elejigbo chieftaincy family of Langbasa and the Kingmakers to the
Langbasa Chieftaincy Declaration to appoint the 6th Defendant as the Oba
Elejigbo of Langbasa in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.
A DECLARATION that the 6th
Defendant is not entitled to be selected, presented, appointed and approved as
the Oba Elejigbo of Langbasa in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.
A DECLARATION that the
appointment and installation of the 6th Defendant as the Oba Elejigbo of
Langbasa is illegal, ultra vires, invalid, null and void.
DECLARATION that the 1st
Claimant is the substantive Oba-elect of Langbasa having been legally
selected, recommended and approved as the Oba Elejigbo of Langbasa in Eti-Osa
Local Government Area of Lagos State.
AN ORDER setting aside,
cancelling, invalidating and nullifying the appointment and installation of the
6thDefendant as the Oba Elejigbo of Langbasa in Eti-Osa Local Government Area
of Lagos State.
AN ORDER directing the 6th
defendant herein to forthwith surrender, vacate and relinquish the title and
office of Elejigbo of Langbasa.
AN ORDER directing the 1st-5th
Defendants to forthwith consider and approve the recommendation, nomination and
appointment of the 1st Claimant as Oba-elect of Langbasa Chieftaincy stool, in
line with the decision of the Kajerojaiye Chieftaincy family of Langbasa and
the Kingmakers to the Langbasa Registered Declaration.
A PERPETUAL INJUNCTION
restraining the 1st-5th Defendants jointly and severally by themselves, agents,
servants and/or privies from treating, dealing with and/or recognizing the 6th
Defendant as the Oba Elejigbo of Langbasa in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of
Lagos State.
A PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining
the 6th Defendant from parading, holding, presenting himself out or in any
other manner discharging or carrying out the functions of the office of the Oba
Elejigbo of Langbasa in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.”
The court thereafter adjourned
the case to June 20, 2017, for hearing of the motion on notice for
interlocutory injunction.
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