The Oyo State Chief Judge, Justice Munta Abimbola today dismissed the suit challenging the consent judgment that nullified the promotion of Ibadan High Chiefs and some baales as Obas under the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi led government in the state.
With this development, the coast has now been cleared for the installation of High Chief Lekan Balogun as the new Olubadan of Ibadan on or before the end of this month.
While dismissing the case, Justice Abimbola explained that the withdrawal of the suit by the High Chiefs indicated termination of all litigations on the case.
He explained that the Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1957 remained valid and any contrary declaration should be disregarded.
It would be recalled that Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Rashidi Ladoja, who was the former Governor of Oyo State sued his predecessor, late Governor Abiola Ajimobi for implementing the recommendation of the inquiry commission to crown all the high chiefs and some Baales in Ibadan jurisdiction, arguing that the act violated the 1957 Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration.
In the matter, Justice Olajumoke Aiki ruled in favoured of Ladoja by setting aside the gazette used to elevate the high chiefs and Baale.
Sequel to this, late Ajimobi appealed the ruling and the Appellate Court set aside Aiki’s decision on technical grounds and directed a retrial of the case.
Upon assumption of office, the incumbent Governor of Oyo State, Oluseyi Makinde, called for an out-of-court settlement and a return to the status quo.
The terms of the settlement were entered as consent judgment by the court, putting a closure on the matter.
Balogun and other affected monarchs disagreed with the government position and filed a fresh suit against the judgment.
The fresh suit has been argued by all the parties before justice Abimbola and while waiting for the judgement to be pronounced, the immediate past Olubadan, late Oba Saliu Adetunji died and automatically, the crown should fall on High Chief Lekan Balogun.
In the course of anticipation of the coronation of the new Olubadan, a former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of Oyo State, Michael Lana on January 3, 2022, wrote the state government not to approve any of the elevated high chief to the position of Olubadan, arguing no Oba could ascend the throne of the Olubadan as long as the High Chiefs still cling to the title of Oba, and any installation of any of them during the pendency of the existing suit is illegal, null and void.
Lana advised Governor Makinde to withhold any approval of any High Chief to become the Olubadan so that he would not become a party to the desecration of Ibadan Chieftaincy Customary Law, reiterating that the former governor in the state did not take the situation into consideration before embarking on the journey of illegality.
Considering the strength of the position of Lana, Governor Makinde summoned a meeting between the elevated chiefs and Senator Ladoja, who was championing the course of upholding 1957 Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration in the selection and installation of Olubadan.
At the meeting, a gentleman agreement was reached where it was agreed that the ancient city should revert to Olubadan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1957 in the selection and installation of Olubadan and that any suit challenging this declaration should be withdrawn in the court of law.
Yesterday, the Olubadan in waiting, High Chief Lekan Balogun and other members of the Olubadan-in-Council who were crowned Obas in 2017 mandated their lawyer, Kunle Sobaloju through a letter, to withdraw their case challenging a consent judgment on their elevation from high chiefs to Obaship status.
The withdrawal of the case led to its dismissal today by Justice Abimbola.
