Kwara Wrongly Crowned King In Court, Risks Five Years In Jail.
…Governor, Ministry deny approval
By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin.
A Kwara State prince who was allegedly crowned as king by kingmakers not known by law has been dragged to court risking a jail term of five years.
The Prince; Jide Kehinde and the said illegal kingmakers; Agboola Babalola Oluwo, Sunday Dada, Ajewole Ogundipe, Azeez Omoribani and Bamisaye Jejeloye who were equally charged to court also risk four years in jail each.
The Law firm of Deji Gbadeyan & Co. in Ilorin, the State capital on behalf of five princes; Orisatuyi AbdulRoheem, Elder Adeniyi Akanbi, Abdulsalam Abdul Azeez, Olayemi Oladipupo and Yusuf Adio all of Idofin ruling house of Kajola in Oke Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State dragged them to a Magistrate Court under a ‘Direct Complaint’ arrangement.
According to the charges before Senior Magistrate M.B Ajetumobi, the said wrongly crowned prince was said to have contravened Section 13 (1) of the Chiefs (Appointment and Deposition) Law of Kwara State and punishable for five years under Section 13 (b) of the same law.
Also, the allegedly self acclaimed kingmakers who risked four years in jail contravened Sections 16 (1&2) of the law, punishable under under same Section 16 sub-section 3 of the Chiefs’ Appointment Law.
The charge sheet said the kingmakers who were not statutorily known illegally installed and crowned Jide Kehinde as Edemorun of Kajola town when he had not been approved and appointed by the governor of the State.
Giving evidence when the case came up for hearing at the court in Omu Aran, Mallam Garuba Toyin Ibrahim from the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development said the government under the enabling law had not approved nor appointed any king for Kajola town in Oke Ero Local Government.
Also, he told the court that the lawful body to write and inform the State Government that the stool of Edemorun of Kajola town was vaccant is the Oke Ero Traditional Council.
According to him, no kingmakers are known for now by the government in Kajola town and so, any act done by way of installing and corronating a king in the town without the approval of the governor remains illegal.
The case had been adjourned to 15th May, 2024 for further hearing.