Oba John Olanji Ogundoju ,the Akinnuwa of Igbindo in Ondo West local government area of Ondo State, has been sacked by the state High Court barely two weeks after his installation as monarch of the town by the state government.
According to the judgement delivered by Justice Bode Adegbehingbe, only son from the male lineage of the Ruling House should be installed as the king of the town.
It was recalled that Ogundoju who is from the female lineage of the Ogbowo Okun Ruling House had since been installed as the monarch of Igbindo following the demise of his predecessor, Oba Pius Aderinluwo Adedoyegbe of the Otutubiosun Ruling House in 2011.
Unsatisfied with the action of the kingmakers and leaders of the Ruling House, some princess from Ogbowo Okun Ruling House led by Adetutu Fashole and Okunade Makinde Fashole had dragged Ogundoju and four others to court over his eligibility as the Akinnuwa of Igbindo in the council area.
Other defendants aside the monarch included Adeodi Adebayo, Taye Akinkugbe, the Chairman of the ruling house, Adeseeke Adewale Stephen and Joseph Olamodimu, the Secretary of the Ruling House.
The plaintiffs sought the court declaration that by “the age long custom and tradition of the ascension to the stool of Akinnuwa of Igbindoland, it s the only male line of the applicable ruling house and in this case the Ogbowo Okun ruling house that is eligible to fill the stool anytime the stool is vacant.”
Also, the plaintiffs stated that based on the White Paper on the Olayiwola Chieftaincy review commission 1982, it is the turn of Ogbowo Okun ruling house to produce the next monarch of the town. And that sequel to the reliefs, they asked to court to declare that Ogundoju is not qualified to contest the stool of Akinnuwa.
Consequently, the plaintiffs prayed for an order of “injunction restraining the Ogundoju, second and third defendants from imposing Ogundoju on Ogbowo Ruling House as the Akinnuwa of Igbindo”
In their statement of claim, the plaintiffs avered that all the defendants are from the female lineage of Ogbowo Okun ruling house and hence not qualified for the throne. The plaintiffs called five witnesses to testify in their favour.
However, the defendants in their claim stated that they are all members of the ruling house, hence they are qualified to be the monarch of the town.
They stated that both male and female members are of the House are qualified for the throne.
After the exchange of brief of arguments, the court held that Ogundoju is not qualified for the throne since he is a member of the Ruling House from female lineage.
Justice Adegbehingbe held that since only sons from the male lineage could be made monarch, “Ogundoju is not eligible to contest and ascend the vacant stool of the Akinnuwa of Igbindo from the Ogbowo Ruling House whose turn is to fill th vacant stool having hailed from the female line of the ruling house.”
-Leadership
