A’Court dethrones Ekiti Oba over faulty selection process

THE Court of Appeal sitting in Ado Ekiti, yesterday dethroned the Owa of Odo Ayedun, Oba Ilesanmi Ajibade over faulty selection process leading to his emergence.

The Appeal Court in its decision upheld the decision of the Ekiti State High Court, which had earlier declared the selection and appointment of Oba Ajibade null and void.

In its unanimous decision, the Court held that Ekiti State Government erred to have cancelled the first selection process and immediately ordered for a fresh one since it has no absolute powers in law to do so.

In a verdict read by Justice E. O Dawodu-Williams, the court validated the first selection process held on November 2, 2009, which produced Prince Kunle Adeniyi, an Assistant Director in the Ekiti State Ministry of Information as the Owa of Odo Ayedun Ekiti

Justice Dawodu Williams, who resolved all the issues formulated for determination in the case against the appellant and in favour of the respondent, Prince Adeniyi Adekunle affirmed the lower court judgement on the obaship tussle.

The Court further held that there was no evidence before the court which showed that the selection process that produced the claimant was marred by violence as alleged by the appellant and dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.

Oba Ajibade was installed in 2009 during the administration of Governor Segun Oni, following which the Prince Adebiyi approached the high court in Ikole, urging it to nullify the selection process that produced the king and uphold the first one conducted that produced him.