Attorney General,others face court contempt over kingship tussle
The Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN), alongside the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Bolaji Robert, and others, have been brought before the court for allegedly flouting a court order relating to the vacant stool of Abule Ado Kingdom.
Others named in the suit include the Executive Chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Dr Valentine Buraimoh, who, along with the other respondents, is accused of flouting an order made by Justice Mathias Dawodu of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on January 15, 2025.
The court had directed all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing of a motion for interlocutory injunction in a suit filed by Alhaji Rafiu Owolabi Teslimi and nine others from the Sanusi Olawunmi family of Abule Ado, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area.
Justice Dawodu issued the order after hearing submissions from counsel to the claimants, Mr L. A. Yusuf of M. B. Jimoh-Akogun & Co., and the defendants’ representatives, including E. O. Olatunji for the third and fourth respondents, and O. A. Ladipo with F. O. Lawal for the seventh and eighth respondents.
The claimants in the suit marked ID/2044GCMW/2024, had prayed the court to direct parties in the suit to maintain the status quo pending hearing of a motion for interlocutory injunction to restrain the defendants from approving anybody for the vacant stool of the Abule Ado kingdom.
The counsel had argued that, granting the application request will serve the interest of justice and that if not injuncted the defendants, the defendants will succeed in render on decision of the court fait accompli situation.
However, while waiting for the adjourned date to return to the court for hearing, on May 19, 2025, the defendants allegedly commenced the process of installation of the king in disobedience to the court order.
The claimant counsel, Yusuf, has therefore filed Form 48, ‘Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Court order dated April 8, 2025.
Other claimants in the suit includes Alhaji Taiwo Tesilimi, Mr Dauda Lasisi, Chief Jelili Lasisi, Alhaji Wasiu Bisiriyu, Mr Nurain Bisiriyu, Alhaja Lateefat Agbaje, Mr Akeem Agbaje, Alhaji Jamiu Balogun and Mulikat Balogun suing for and on behalf of themselves and members of Sanusi Olawunmi Family of Abule Ado, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos State as first to ninth claimants respectively.
Aside from Pedro, Robert and Buraimoh, other respondents include: Chieftaincy Committee Amuwo /Odofin Local Government, Prince Eniola Muftau Ado, Babatunde Bakare, Sulaiman Surajudeen Aro and Alhaji Nurudeen Abu as the first to eighth defendants.
In the claimants motion on notice brought pursuant to Order 42 Rule 1(1) (2) 4(1) and 8 of the High Court Civil Procedure Rules, Yusuf of Chambers of M. B Jimoh-Akogun & Co has asked the court for an order restraining the defendants from recognising or approving the presentation of any staff of office to the 5th to 8th defendants or anybody from the defendants family to be crown.
In support of the motion on notice, the first claimant swore to a 91-paragraph affidavit, Tesilimi averred that the claimants’ progenitor was the founder and first settler family, having been the first Baale, and subsequent Baales were from Oteyi Odan.
He posited that the progenitor of Sanusi Olawunmi was never rotated between the claimants and the defendant prior to the inquiry report. The claimants have made a ruling house and are entitled to produce the next Oba Ado of Ado village.
He stated that, “Memorandum of Obaship of Abule Ado of May, 2024 was forwarded to the office of the 14th defendant, stating the historical facts and grounds as to why the claimants be allowed to nominate a candidate for the vacant stool of Ado Village.”
The claimants also averred the that in all these legal claims of the claimants’ family with government, individuals and community dwellers one critical point that stood out is that the claimants’ family history, ownership of the land settled upon by Oteyi-Odan, their progenitor himself and baaleship geneology in Abule Ado have always been protected and upheld by the government and public authorities.
“There is no registered declaration in respect of Abule Ado chieftaincy; hence, the court has jurisdiction to make a finding of what the customary law is and apply the law for declaration.
“While awaiting the response of the demands of the claimant in the Memorandum after a long period of time, the claimant, through his lawyer, forwarded a memorandum of claim dated September, 2,2024, which was acknowledged after being served by the first to fourth defendant , while the 5th to 8th defendant refused to acknowledge… “
However, in form 48, it was stated that unless Mr Pedro (SAN), Oba Mobadenle Oyekan, the Chairman of Chietaincy Committee Amuwo Odofin Local government, Sulaiman Surajudeen Aro, Kayode Bolaji-Roberts and Valentine Oluseyi Buraimoh immediately obey the court order for status quo, they will be guilty of contempt and they will be liable to be committed to prison.
