--Orders their immediate reinstatement,payment of entitlements.
By Niyi Ogungbola
A State High Court sitting in Abeokuta, the State capital,on Tuesday declared the demotion of 75 coronet Obas by Prince Dapo Abiodun led administration as null and void
First Awareness reports that the appointment , promotion and installation of the 75 Coronet Obas were made by the administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun the former Governor of the state.
But shortly after the sworn in of Governor Dapo Abiodun, he terminated their appointment following recommendations of a committee sept up to find out the legality of their appointments and all other issues surrounding the promotion and confirement of Baales as Obas.
Not satisfied with Governor Abiodun decision,the 75 Coronet Obas thus, proceeded to court to challenge the decision they described as unfair, untraditional and political.
They therefore filed their case / grievancies against the state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun alongside commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs and the permanent secretary in the ministry at the State high court 4, Abeokuta.
The claimants had approached the court since 2019 to challenge the recommendations of the review committee set up by the state government stopping them from parading themselves as monarchs or functioning as such in their respective domains.
The claimants also sought the court order to declare their removal as null and void.
However, respite came their way on Tuesday as Justice Abiodun Akinyemi in his judgement declared that the appointments of the Coronet Obas remain valid, maintaining that the government failed to write appropriately the concerned individuals to convey their sack to them.
Justice Akinyemi added that the state government also failed to give the claimants fair hearing before removing them.
The presiding Judge however ruled that the entitlements and remunerations of all the Coronet Obas be immediately paid by the defendants from the time of installation.
Earlier in the proceedings, Egba traditional council led by its counsel, Mr. Afolabi Fashanu, SAN, had filed an application seeking to join the suit and arrest the judgement set for today.
Justice Akinyemi in his ruling dismissed the application saying that he finds no merit in the application.
The presiding Judge awarded a personal cost of 250,000 naira on Mr Afolabi Fashanu saying that as a Senior Advocate, he ought to know better than to file such an application.
Justice Akinyemi noted that since the counsel was not a party in the matter, he declared that the application is frivolous and an abuse of court process.
First Awareness recalled that on February 6, 2020, Governor Dapo Abiodun demoted 75 Chiefs promoted to Coronet traditional rulers by his predecessor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
Senator Amosun had elevated the 75 Chiefs to the Coronet obas towards the end of his administration in May 29, 2019.
But, on assumption of office, Governor Abiodun set up a committee that reviewed and recommended that the promotion of the traditional rulers from Baale to Obas be reversed .
In February 2020, Governor Abiodun announced the demotion of the Obas as recommended by the committee chaired by the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle.
The 75 Obas not satisfied with the recommendation dragged the state government to court asking for their reinstatement and payment of their entitlements.
The Coronet obas when the proceeding was on initially got an interlocutory injunction that maintained their appointment as Coronet Obas till the court finally gave its judgement today.
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