An Ondo state high court has removed Oba Babajide Lawrence Oluwole as the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo in the Ondo LGA of Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo.
The court overturned the monarch’s appointment, admitting that Oba Oluwole, who was crowned as the community’s monarch in 2018, was not a member of the governing house, which was to replace the town’s then-vacant stool.
The enthronement of a monarch by the Ondo state government was contested by two princes from the Aare Kugbaigbe Ruling House, Rufus Adekanye and Temitope Adeoye, Head and Secretary of the House, respectively.
The claimants claimed in the complaint filed by their lawyer, Mr. Sola Ebiseni, that the defendant was not a member of the Aare Kugbaigbe Ruling House, which was to propose a candidate to the king, and that the stool was still vacant.
In his judgement, Justice Ademola Enikuemehin admitted that Oluwole was not a member of the reigning house, which was to produce the monarch, and was also not entitled to be presented as a contender for the crown.
The judge ruled:
“The fifth defendant (Oba Oluwole), not being a descendant of the Aare Kugbaigbe is not a member of the Aare Kugbaigbe Ruling House and therefore not qualified under the declaration to be proposed as a candidate for the vacant stool of or be made the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igb..
The court equally gave an injunction restraining “the fifth defendant from or further parading himself or allowing himself to be paraded as or accorded the rights and privileges pertaining to the person, title and office of the Olu-Oke of Oke-Igbo.”