Court deposes another monarch in Ondo

By Ola Ajayi

AKURE— AFTER reigning for 15 years, the Olofun of Irele in Irele Council area of Ondo State, Oba Cladius Olanrewaju-Lebi, was deposed yesterday as an Okitipupa High Court declared the stool vacant.

Consequently, the Court directed the Opetusi Ruling family to kick start a fresh selection process to select another candidate to fill the vacant throne.

This was coming 17 days after the state government deposed and banished the Deji of Akureland, Prince Oluwadare Adepoju for publicly fighting with his Olori, Bolanle Adepoju.

Delivering judgment in the suit filed by the Opetusi Royal family through their lawyer, Mr. Deji Kayode-Okimoba, Justice Olabode Adegbehingbe declared as “null and void, all authorities relied upon by the State Government, to appoint Olanrewaju-Lebi as king.

Justice Adegbehingbe described the nomination, selection, appointment and coronation of the deposed monarch as unlawful.

He subsequently ordered that he “should stop parading himself Olofun of Ode-Irele with immediate effect”.

But reacting to the verdict, the deposed traditional ruler said he would appeal the judgment after a comprehensive study of the judgment by his counsel.