Rumbles roar over new Ayangburen monarch of Ikorodu in Lagos

The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has urged a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja to reverse the order it made last Friday to stop the coronation of the new Ayangburen, the traditional ruler of Ikorodu, in Lagos State. The Ayangburen stool had become vacant on August 1, 2014, after the passage of Oba S.A. Oyefusi. Last week Friday, a court presided over by Justice O.O. Ogungbesan stopped the coronation, which had been scheduled for last Saturday. The judge had restrained Ambode or anyone acting under his authority from going ahead to crown the Odofin of Ikorodu, Chief Kabiru Shotebi, as the new Ayangburen. The coronation, however, reportedly held last Saturday as scheduled. Ambode, who was represented in court by a state counsel, Mr. S.A. Quadri, on Thursday, urged the judge to vacate the order. Quadri, who described the ex parte application that led to the order as an abuse of court processes, pointed out that the order was made after Shotebi had been given the staff of office. According to Quadri, former Governor Babatunde Fashola had, on May 26, 2015, installed Shotebi as the new Ayangburen. Quadri added that contrary to the facts presented before the court, the event which took place on Saturday was not the coronation, but a mere social gathering to celebrate Shotebi’s installment as a monarch. “The ceremony which took place on the 15th day of August 2015 was just an event to celebrate Shotebi’s ascension to the throne. “The ex parte ought not to have been granted if the afore said facts were revealed to the honourable court. “The order was obtained by misrepresentation of facts and should be set aside,” one Usman Danboyi, a Chief State Counsel, said in the affidavit filed in support of Ambode’s application. Also in court on Thursday was the lawyer for the Ikorodu kingmakers, Mr. Olusegun Fabunmi, who had challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case. The kingmakers ─ Chief Zacheus Odusoga, Chief Afolabi Adekanyaoja, Chief Karimu Ore and Chief Jacob Adaraloye ─ are urging the court to vacate the restraining order and dismiss the suit. Fabunmi claimed that the subject matter had already been determined by Justice M.A. Savage of the Ikorodu division of the court on February 5, 2015. The applicant, Eniola, through his lawyer, Mr. Joseph Okobiemen, had approached Justice Ogungbesan seeking an order to halt the coronation of Shotebi, who hailed from the Adegorushe branch of the Lasunwon chieftaincy family. The applicant claimed that it was the turn of the Lambo branch of the Lasunwon chieftaincy family, from which he came, to present the next Ayangburen, adding that he had been nominated by the family to be crowned as the new Ayangburen at meetings held on September 7 and 21, 2014. The judge has adjourned the matter till October 6, 2015 for mention. Copyright PUNCH