Date: 2014-11-25

The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned till March 2, 2015, the appeal brought by Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi, the Olofa of Offa, challenging his removal from office.

 The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Court of Appeal Division in Ilorin, on July 9, 2013, removed Gbadamosi from office.

The appeal court had, while delivering judgment in the suit filed by Rauf Adegboyega-Keji, challenging Gbadamosi’s appointment by kingmakers, also restrained him from parading himself as the Oba.

The court held that the two ruling houses in Offa, the Anilelerin and Olugbense, had agreed that the Oba stool would be on a rotational basis.

The Olugbense family, had in the suit filed by their counsel, Mr Olushola Baiyeshea (SAN), claimed that the Anilelerin had reign for 40 years.

The family contended that after the death of the immediate past Oba, Alhaji Mustapha Olanipekun, who hailed from the Anilelerin family, they still wanted to continue. 

He submitted that Gbadamosi, who hails from Anilelerin, was still parading himself as the Oba in defiance of the appellate court’s judgment of July 9, 2013.

Mr Yusuf Ali (SAN), counsel to the appellants, said that Olanipekun’s death necessitated the amendment of the court processes to make room for a substitute for him.

He argued that Olanipekun’s name had been struck out upon his death, adding that he had filed that application before Olanipekun’s death.

Justice Muhammad Muntaka-Coomasie, who led the five-man panel of Supreme Court judges, after listening to the arguments of counsel to both parties, adjourned the case till March 2 for hearing. (NAN)