Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan
The last has not been heard on the legal battle over the rightful occupant of the stool of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, as Justice Moshood Abass of the state high court on Wednesday ordered that the renewed writ of summons and other documents in the suit filed by the Seriki Chiefs, be served on counsel to the monarch.
The Seriki Chiefs including Adebayo Oyediji, Olalekan Fakunle, Rashidi Abinupagun and Gabriel Kofoworola, had dragged Governor Abiola Ajimobi, his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Oba Adetunji, to court, over the installation of the monarch, following the death of Oba Samuel Odulana, Odugade 1.
At the last hearing of the case, the Justice Abass had drawn the attention of counsel to the Seriki Chiefs, Mr. Abideen Adediran, to the error in serving the writ of summons which was filed in May, 2016 on the Secretary to the Olubadan-In-Council, without the order of the court.
Adediran urged the court to fix a date for the hearing of the case, notifying the court that since the suit was filed; the monarch has not appeared or sends representative.
When the case resumed on Wednesday, a counsel representing Oba Adetunji, Mr. Adewale Ajewole, announced his appearance.
Adediran then drew the attention of the court on the need to serve the monarch new writ of summons because the law states that a motion could only be subsistence for six months.
Responding, Justice Abass who adjourned the case to April 10 ordered that the writ of summons be served in court on the counsel to the Olubadan.