Ogun: Court Dismisses Cases Against Onipokia, Rules Asade Family Lacks Legal Standing
The Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta has struck out two cases filed by the Asade Royal Family against the Onipokia of Ipokia, Oba Yisa Olaniyan.
The Asade Family had challenged the selection of Oba Olaniyan as the Onipokia and also instituted a Contempt of Court case against him.
Justice Ogunfowora ruled that the Asade Family lacks locus standing to challenge Oba Olaniyan’s nomination and selection, as only an eligible member of the Ruling House can do so.
He also struck out the contempt of court case, citing the claimants’ failure to follow proper procedures to establish and prove contempt.
The court’s decision effectively ends the legal challenges to Oba Olaniyan’s position as Onipokia of Ipokia.
In his ruling on the two cases on Tuesday, the presiding judge, Justice Ogunfowora, struck out the eligibility case, ruling that the Asade Family lacked locus standing to challenge the nomination and selection of the traditional ruler.
The judge posited that the claimants were not in a legal position to challenge the candidature of the Oba Olaniyan for Onipokia stool, noting that only an eligible member of the Ruling House has the locus to challenge the nomination of Oba Olaniyan.
He also ruled that the Asade Family could not file the case on behalf of the concerned party, hence, the case was struck out.
On the Contempt of Court proceeding, Justice Ogunfowora ruled that contempt against the court is “sui-generis” and has procedures to be followed.
He faulted the claimants for their failure to follow the procedures to establish and prove contempt of Court case against the defendant and thereafter struck out the case.
Average Rating