Four families that constitute Adogun Atele family have asked an Ogun State high court for an order restraining, Musiliu Ademola Eletu Asorota from further parading himself as the Onitele of Itele, pending the hearing and final determination the suit filed against him and 10 others.
The Claimants, Madam Fausat Atinuke Alimi Akapo, Sunday Mathew Taiwo Owotolu, Chief Taoreed Momodu Liasu Dada, and Alhaji Monsuru Ashifatu Yusuf suing (for themselves as members and on behalf of other Members of Oosa, Imidawo, Ogunrounbi & and Alagbeji that constitute Adogun Atele family a.k.a Itele Family) are also seeking for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining Asorota from celebrating the anniversary of his installation as Onitele of Itele until the final determination of this Suit.
Listed as Defendants in the suit marked AB/492/2023 are the Head of Service, Ogun State, Mr. Peter Kolawole Fagbohun, member of House Representatives, Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, Moruf Afolabi Afuape, Director of Administration, Ado/Odo/Ota Local Government, Mr. Solomon Dada, and Mr. Lukman OPALEYE.
Other Defendants are, the Olota of Ota, HRH Kabiru Adeyemi Obalanlege, the Governor of Ogun State, the Commissioner for Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs, the Attorney General of Ogun State, Ado/Odo/Ota Local Government Area and the Egba Traditional Council.
The Claimants through their team of lawyers, led by Mr. Kunle Adegoke SAN are also seeking for an order of Interlocutory Injunction restraining the 7th – 10th Defendants from registering any Chieftaincy declaration in respect of Onitele of Itele Stool until the final determination of the Suit.
Specifically, the Claimants are praying the court for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Egba Traditional Council (11th Defendant) from allowing or further allowing the 6th Defendant (Asorota) from attending and participating in the meeting of the Egba Traditional Council until the final determination of the substantive suit and for such further or other orders as the Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.
In a 30-page Affidavit in Support of Motion on Notice deposed to by Chief Taoreed Dada, he stated that the Supreme Court had since the 16th December, 2011 determined the appeal of Onitele of Itele stool and declared clearly that Adogun Atele family comprising of four ruling houses of Imidawo; Oosa; Ogunrounbi and Alagbeji, are eligible to the stool of Onitele of Itele.
He alleged that the 1st – 6th Defendants falsified a minutes of meeting purportedly held on the 5th August, 2020 in the name of Adogun Atele family to pick the 6th Defendant/Respondent by assembling impostors as members of members Adogun Atele.
He stated that based on the alleged falsification of minutes of meeting by the 1st – 6th Defendants in the name of Adogun Atele family, the 7th —10th Defendant appointed Warrant Kingmakers which purportedly approved the nomination of the 6th Defendant on the 7th August; 2020.
The deponent stated that the 6th Defendant appointed as Onitele of Itele does not belong to any of the four Ruling Houses mentioned in Itele as contained in the Supreme Court Judgment in SC: 200/2003.
He stated that consequent upon the installation of the 6th Defendant based on the falsified minutes held in the name of Adogun Atele; the 7 – 10 Defendants’ are planning to register Chieftaincy declaration for the Judgment debtors different from the Ruling Houses declared by the Supreme Court in its judgment of 16th December; 2016.
He stated that following the unwillingness of the 7 – 10th Defendants/ Respondents to forward a candidate from Adogun Atele family, the Applicant filed application at the Supreme Court seeking the Order of the Supreme Court to compel the Ogun State Government to comply with the Supreme Court Judgment delivered on the 16 December; 2011.
“The 7 -10 Defendants filed joint counter affidavit and at the resumed hearing of various applications on the 5th July, 2022, stated in their counter affidavit that they have commenced the process of installing Onitele of Itele from Adogun Atele family.
That consequent upon the information supplied by the State Counsel that the 7 & 10 Defendants have Commenced the process to appoint Onitele of Itele from Adogun Atele, the applicants’ family withdrew their application which was withdrawn and the application was dismissed while the second one was Struck out and the Supreme Court reemphasized that their judgment of 16th December; 2011 is sacrosanct but the 7 – 10 deceived the Supreme Court by installing the 6th Defendant.
The Claimants undertook to pay damages to the Defendants if the court later found that the order ought not to have been made.
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