Deposed Baale drags Olubadan to court

Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji

Deposed Baale of Olode town in Oluyole Local Government Area of Ibadan in Oyo State, Chief Lukman IIufemiloye Alao has dragged the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, to court for deposing him.

In his suit, Chief Alao is equally asking the court to award him N2m general damages against the monarch for the pain, embarrassment and degradation suffered over his unlawful removal.

The deposed Baale, in a motion on notice filed by his counsel, Mr. Saani Oyedele, also joined the Olubadan-in-council, Oluyole Local Government, and his successor, Mr. Dauda Odeyemi as co-defendants in the suit.

Chief Alao claimed that the meeting held on 9th January 2017 by the Olubadan-in-council was not properly constituted and that it breached all principles of fair hearing as he was not given any petition written against him nor was he heard by the council ‎before the decision to remove him and instal a new Baale was taken.

He prayed the court to declare ‎the January 9, 2017 meeting as ‘ultra vires’ as he was not given the opportunity to defend himself on any allegation made against him.

He averred that the new Baale of Olode‎ was not qualified to occupy the position as he was not a member of the Olode chieftaincy family.

He described his deposition as unlawful, null and void, stressing that the Baaleship stool of Olode was not vacant and he remained the Baale of Olode.

He prayed the court to grant a perpetual injunction restraining Odeyemi from parading himself as the Baale ‎of Olode.

In his statement of claim, Chief Alao who was installed the Baale on December 3rd, 2007, averred that the chieftaincy stool had been rotated from time immemorial between the families of Odegbero and‎ Aborisade.

He further claimed that the father of the new Baale, the late Chief Olayiwola Odeyemi Ejo, who was his immediate predecessor, was removed in 2007 ‎because he was not from any of the chieftaincy families.

He said Odeyemi was from a small village called ‎Ejo which was about 10kms away from Olode town.

However, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the case.

Chief Alao’s removal which took effect from Monday January 9, 2017, was announced in a press release signed by the Director, Media and Public Affairs to Olubadan, Mr. Adeola Oloko.

The Olubadan-in-Council did not give any reason for sacking the embattled Baale.