Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Ondo State High Court sitting in Igbara-Oke, Headquarters of Ifedore Local Government Area (LGA) of the state has restrained Oba Abiodun Aderemi Adefehinti, the Alara of Ilaramokin, from introducing a new ruling house in the town. The court also warned the monarch not to take any step that would be contrary to the existing chieftaincy declaration guiding appointment of a traditional ruler in the town.
The Court ordered that the only two existing ruling houses in the town should remain as the recognised ruling houses, while the monarch and the authorities of Ifedore LGA are barred from introducing any other ruling house. Delivering his ruling in a suit filed by Afinbiokin ruling house, Justice Yemi Fasanmi ,said that the new ruling house was not recognised by existing laws in the state.
The Afinbiokin ruling house of Ilaramokin had sued Oba Adefehinti, for allegedly introducing a new ruling house against the established gazette guiding chieftaincy matters in the town. Joined in the suit are the head of the kingmakers, Chief Lisa Ayo Ojo, Chief Mosunmola Opalemo, Mr. Bunmi Falodun, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Chairman, Ifedore LGA and Governor of the state.
Afinbiokin ruling house had told the court that the 1957 chieftaincy laws of Ondo State recognised only two ruling houses in the town and that it would amount to an aberration for any individual or group of people to introduce a new ruling house without amending the laws. The claimant through their counsel, Mr Yunusa Aliyu, at the resumed hearing of the case said that only the Agbekorun and Afinbiokin ruling houses were entitled to the stool of the Alara of Ilara-Mokin.
