LATEST ON ASHIPA STOOL: AJIMOBI REMOVES OLOJA

The Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, at the weekend ordered the immediate removal of Baale of Ago Oja, Alhaji Ganiyu Ajiboye installed during the administration of former governor of the state, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala.

The order for the removal of the traditional ruler was signed by the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Peter Odetomi.

The installation of the ruler in the domain of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi generated ripples between the monarch and the former governor. It was believed then that Akala created the title to reduce the influence of the Alaafin of Oyo.

Dissatisfied with the installation of Oloja of Ago Oja, Oba Adeyemi challenged the action of the former governor in the state High Court and Justices O. A. Akinola and J. A. Fabiyi ordered the baale to vacate the seat, saying 'the creation, appointment and installation of Baale Ago Oja was illegal, null, void and unconstitutional.'

Akala, however, did not obey the court rulings.
Oba Adeyemi then filed another suit that the court should commit the ex-governor and his then state commissioner for justice, Mr. Ladi Abdusalam and Alago Oja to prison for allegedly refusing to obey the two separate court orders.

Ajimobi said the monarch must comply with an extant judgment restraining him from parading himself as a traditional ruler and vacate the official residence of Ashipa Oyo.

A letter marked CB141\38\7T1\131, dated May 4, 2012 and directed to the chairman, Atiba Local Government for immediate action said in Suit No. HOY462006, Justice Olu S Akinola, had ruled that the title of Baale Ago-Oja does not exist in Atiba Local Government and ordered that Ajiboye should stop parading himself as such.

The letter further reads, 'the state government hereby directs that Alhaji Ganiyu Ajiboye should cease from parading himself as Baale/Alago of Ajo-Oja pending the determination of his appeal and should vacate the palace meant for Ashipa.'

Meanwhile, Biodun Abdul-Raheem, the counsel to the baale, described the order that Ajiboye should vacate the palace as illegal, unconstitutional and an act capable of usurping the role of the judiciary:'The Oloja of Ago Oja removal by Governor Abiola Ajimobi on the orders of the state government through the Commissioner Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Peter Odetomi, following a petition written by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, was misplaced because no court had given any such order.'As of 12.00 p.m today (yesterday) being May 6, 2012, no letter bearing the description of the one referred to in the newspaper publication has been served on our client or in any way brought to his attention.'

The lawyer said the matter was still pending before the Appeal Court, Ibadan Division Also, Ajiboye refused to comply with the directive of the state government that he should stop parading himself as a traditional ruler and vacate the official residence of Ashipa Oyo. According to sources in Atiba Local Government at the weekend, the embattle baale refused to accept the letter of his removal when the council officials conveyed the same to him.

The state government had earlier written a letter to convey its decision to remove the baale and directed the Atiba council boss to convey the letter to Ajiboye.