Tension in Osun as govt set to appoint new Monarch in violation of court order

Tension is building up in Osun following the Osun State Government directive to the Kingmakers in Iree Community to select the new Aare of Iree on Thursday despite a pending case before Oṣun State High Court. 

Iree is located within Boripe Local Council Development Authority (LCDA). 

The directive, it was gathered, also runs counter to the content of the White Paper on the matter, where the Osun State government had said that no new process of selection can take place unless the pending cases are withdrawn from the court. 

It was learnt that the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, has approved the report of selection of new Aree and directed the Kingmakers to do the selection on Thursday to be supervised by the Boripe North LCDA officials. 

 Boripe North LCDA, Chairman, Jamiu Adedokun, had on 13th of February conveyed a meeting of ruling houses in Iree and informed them that any interested candidate in Aree stool has up till Friday, February 16th, to purchase a new nomination form from the local government as directed by the Ministry of Local Government and Cheiftancy Affairs. 

Credible source within the local government confirmed that the council after the meeting proceeded with the sale of Expression of Interest form by the interested candidates from ruling houses and forwarded the list to the ministry which later approved the list and directed fresh selection by the the kingmakers. 

It would be recalled that the state government had on January 19 released a white paper nullifying the selection of Aree of Iree, Oba Raphael Oluponle and Owa of Igbajo, Ọba Adegboyega Famodun and directed a fresh process with a condition that Iree kingmakers should withdraw their case in court before comencement of fresh process, but the court has been under lock as a result of JUSUN strike. 

However, the Aree of Iree, Oba Raphael Oluponle has called on the Inspector General of Police, the Oṣun State Commissioner of Police and other law enforcement agents in the state to intervene and prevent violence, breach of public peace and contempt of court. 

In a letter by his counsel, Muideen Adeoye, acknowledged at the Office of the State Commissioner of Police on February 24th of 2024 informed the police that some individuals are initiating process of new selection of Aree of Iree land which is criminal and likely to breach public peace and order as a result of pending case in court in respect of the subject matter.. 

He said such move is absurdity to the judiciary, rule of law and gross violation of the state government White Paper which gave a condition of withdrawal of case in court for the selection of new process and urged the security agents to enforce law and order in the community. 

The letter read in part" up till date, the custodian of Aree of Iree instrument of appointment is Ọba Raphael Oluponle and up till date, no court of law has voided its issuance to the monarch by the government. And interestingly, the said white paper has never directed the withdrawal of the instrument of appointment from the monarch, while the pending suit No HIK/39/2022 - Chief Olufemi Afolabi and four ors. Vs Governor of Oṣun and five others, has not be withdrawn till this moment of writing the petition. 

"Suprisingly, in February 2024, some officers of this local government and others including Hon Jamiu Adedokun Tunde, the local government Chairman, Hon Bamigbola Jide, Secretary and Hon Dosu Babatunde, the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs among others suddenly commence another process to install a new monarch in Iree, notwithstanding the pendency of the suit and without the withdrawal of instrument of appointment issued to the monarch by the same government.

"This action violates Section 21 (2) of the chiefs law of Osun State Cap 25, 2002., section 249 (D) of the criminal code act., section 518(1,6 and 7) of criminal code act., which states that any attempt to impuge on the authority of a custodian of instrument of appointment is criminal and liable to imprisonment and the same section empowers the security agencies to do the needful to prevent anarchy in the town." 

"It is on this premises that we are urging the police and other security agents to enforce the law and order in respect of their constitutional responsibility while our client will remain peaceful and law abiding, but the police has responsibility to protect our laws and restore sanity in the area." The letter read. 

Meanwhile, the ruling houses in Iree had earlier objected to a fresh process, describing it as "contempt of court and gross violation of the government white paper".

This position was informed by the inability of the parties to withdraw the case in court as a result of the ongoing Judiciary Staff Union (JUSUN) strike, insisting that no process can commence without the withdrawal of the case in court. 

In a letter dated February 13, 2024 addressed to the Chairman Boripe North LCDA, and Head of Local Government signed by PA Micheal Olaniyi, the head of Oyekun ruling house, Alhaji Jimoh Ayiloye, Head of Iyonhola ruling house, and Alhaji Sulaimon Olaniyi, Elder, Olubonku family informed the council that they are not interested in the meeting, so as not to violate the law and government directive. 

A copy of the letter obtained by our Correpondent reads "kindly be informed that we the Ruling Houses invited by your office have decided to restrain ourselves from doing anything that is contrary to the law and the White Paper.

"The white paper made it compulsory for the king makers to withdraw the case in court before a new selection process can kick start and as of today 13th of February 2024, courts in Osun state remain shut down due to JUSUN strike . How did you now withdraw the case in court ? In addition, lawsuit instituted over the matter is still pending and it amounts to contempt of court to kick start a new selection process. 

"In view of the foregoing, we hereby dissociate ourselves from any meeting designed to purportedly commence fresh selection process of another candidate for Aree Stool which is not vacant." the letter read. 

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