An attempt at nullifying the appointment of Oba Saliu Adetunji as the Olubadan of Ibadan land has been dismissed by the Oyo State High Court.
The court in its ruling on Friday, March 19, declared that the suit filed by the Seriki chieftaincy lineage lacked merit.
Recall that the Seriki lineage had challenged the consistent occupation of the Olubadan throne by both the Balogun and Olubadan chieftaincy lines.
However, dismissing the case, Justice Muniru Owolabi ruled that it was not the business of the court to promote the claimants to the position of Olubadan and other vacant positions in the Olubadan-in-Council.
Justice Owolabi said that the 1959 Chieftaincy Declaration of Oyo State had regulated the selection and promotion of the chiefs up to the position of Olubadan of Ibadanland.
He said that the recommendations of the December 1989 consent judgment between the Seriki line and other chiefs had not been amended in the state’s chieftaincy declaration governing the appointment and promotion to the Olubadan throne.
According to the judge, the customary law governing any vacancy in the Olubadan line had not been amended and, therefore, the court could not set aside the appointments made into those positions till date.
He said the consent judgment recognising Seriki line could not be presumed to be the law governing appointment and filling of vacant positions in the Ekerin Olubadan, Ekerin Balogun up till the Olubadan of Ibadanland when it had not be included in the law.
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