OSHODI OBASHIP TUSSLE: GROUP URGES FASHOLA TO CAUTION COMMUNITY LEADER

By NBF News

A community-based organization, Oshodi Indigenes Elders Forum (OIEF) has appealed to Governor Raji Fashola of Lagos State to urgently intervene and call to order, a 90-year old community leader, Chief Yisa Oseni Eyifunmi, who has been parading himself as the Oba-elect of Oshodi.

The group, in a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its Chairman, Chief Ola Atanda and Secretary, W. Oseni, respectively said the governor, as Chief Security Officer of the state should not allow the law and order to break down in the Oshodi area because of the lawlessness of one individual.

The group argued that since there was an existing Lagos High Court order, setting aside the purported installation of Chief Eyifunmi as the Baale of Oshodi, he had no moral or legal rights to be laying claim to the title.

'As law abiding citizens of the state, we are bringing this to your notice, about the constant disobedience of the court order made since May 4, 2007 by Justice M. O. Obadina, setting aside the purported installation of Chief Eyifunmi as the Baale of Oshodi and ordered the parties to maintain 'the status quo ante bullum.'

Chief Eyifunmi was reported to have been referring to himself as the Oba-elect in several statements issued recently.

The order made by Justice Obadina followed a suit instituted by the Head of Oshodi Arota Ologun family of Orile Oshodi town, Lagos State, Chief Teslim Adeola Almaroof, seeking court's declaration that by virtue of native law custom and tradition of the indigenes of Oshodi town, in Oshodi Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos State, only land owning families within Oshodi were eligible to aspire and be appointed to the stool of the Baale of Oshodi town.

He also sought a declaration that Olushi Onigbesa family, comprising of Odujaguda and the Agedegudu families of Oshodi town, not being owners of land within Oshodi town by the Supreme Court decision in suit no SC/53/95, were ineligible to aspire or seek to be appointed or succeed to the stool of the Baale of Oshodi town. Others named in the suit as defendants were Chief Yisa Oseni Eyifunmi, Chief Azeez Saka Dada, Mr Saliu Bakare and Attorney-General of Lagos State.