Drama! Court Orders Lekki Monarch to Vacate Throne

The battle for the throne of a Lekki Kingdom in Lagos continued unabated as the installed monarch has been ordered to vacate the throne

TheConscience reports that a Lagos High Court, sitting at the TBS Complex in Lagos Island, has ordered the newly installed monarch, Oba Babatunde Balogun, who is currently occupying the exalted throne and his agents to stop parading themselves as the recognised rulers of the Solu-Alade Kingdom in Ibeju-Lekki Area of Lagos State pending the determination of a legal suit.

The monarch, who is the Onisolu of Solu-Alade kingdom was recently presented with the certificate of Obaship amidst disagreements among the ruling houses of the kingdom, prompting the Court order to halt all governance activities over the troubled Lekki Lagos community.

The Presiding Judge, Justice Oyindamola Ogala, who gave the verdict as a vacation judge, in an interlocutory injunction application, held that the order will subsist until the determination of the legal tussle, over the Obaship of the town.

The claimants, Chief Ganiyu Olofinbada Somoju and Sikiru Olofin had filed the application, asking the Court to order the defendants to maintain status quo, pending the hearing of the main suit before Justice Onigbanjo.

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The claimants are also instituting charges against the Lagos State Governor, Babajide SanwoOlu (1st defendant), State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice (2nd defendant), Commissioner & Ministry for Local Government and Community Affairs (3rd & 4th defendants), the Chairman of Ibeju Lekki Local Government (5th defendant), and the Head of Balogun Family, Alhaji Mutalibi Balogun (7th defendant).

The claimants in a suit no LD/6179GCMW/19 filed an originating processes dated April 23, 2019.

TheConscience gathers that they also filed a motion on notice for interlocutory injunction, while the first and fourth defendants filed a notice of preliminary injunction.

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During the pendency of the motion for injunction, the fifth defendant purportedly installed and issued the sixth defendant ( Oba Babatunde Balogun) a certificate of Installation.

At Thursday’s proceeding for hearing of the motion for interlocutory injunction application, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, & 4th defendants were present in court, while 5th to 7th defendants were absent.

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Justice Ogala thereafter, ordered the defendants, especially the 6th, from taking further steps or actions in the town that portray his authority or existence of any form of Obaship in the town, as it’s the proper thing to do in the circumstances.

The vacation judge also assured the claimants that she would ensure that Justice Onigbanjo gives the main suit accelerated hearing, upon resumption from vacation.