Aladeokun of Alade-Idanre: Akinbola Royal Family rejects government’s imposition attempt, drags Ondo Government, others to court

Aladeokun of Alade-Idanre: Akinbola Royal Family rejects government’s imposition attempt, drags Ondo Government, others to court

_…”the letter given by the Secretary of Idanre LG to Akinnadeju family to commence selection process of the Aladeokun of Alade-Idanre, is illegal, arbitrary, irregular, null and void”_

The Princes of the Aladeokun of Alade-Idanre in Idanre Local Government area of Ondo State, represented by Prince Adeseloyin Akinbola, Prince Philip Adesola Akinbola and Prince Adesemoye Akinbola, have rejected the imposition attempt and manner at which the State Government hastily directed the Secretary of Idanre Local Government to start the selection process to fill the vacant stool with a candidate from the Akinnadeju family as the new Aladeokun of Alade-Idanre.

The directive which was communicated by the Secretary of the Idanre Local Government to Akinnadeju family, instructing them to commence the process of selecting the new Aladeokun of Alade-Idanre from the Akinnadeju family, has been challenged in court by the Royal family of Akinbola of Lagokun ruling house.

Following this unacceptable approach taken by the Secretary of Idanre Local Government, the Royal family of Akinbola of Lagokun ruling house, has instituted case against the Governor of Ondo State, the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Attorney General and Akinnadeju family.

In a case filed on 17th April, 2023 by the Royal family of Akinbola of Lakogun Ruling House, the Princes recalled that they were “Claimants in Suit No: AK/218/2023 wherein to commence the selection process of one Engr Alex Akinnadeju as the Aladeokun of Alade-Idanre was successfully challenged. They also declared the directive process of selection by the Secretary of Idanre Local government as illegal under the Alade Idanre Native Law and Custom, stressed that it is only Lagokun ruling house which comprised Akinbola and Akinboro that are qualified to contest for the chieftaincy stool of Alade Idanre which has been on ground from time immemorial dated back to 1924. Added that the move by the Alade Idanre people to descend from Oke Idanre to a flat area for development started in 1928 by the Christian living at Oke Idanre that time
who then sought the consent of the Owa of Idanre and the consent was
granted because the Owa of Idanre was equally a Christian.

The Princes further claimed that it is only the Lakogun Ruling House, to present candidate(s) to fill the vacant stool of the Aladeokun of Alade Chieftaincy, noting that the 1st Defendant (Engr. Alex Akinnadeju) not being a descendant of the Lakogun Ruling House and therefore not qualified under the Declaration to be appointed as a candidate for the vacant stool of or be made the Aladeokun of Alade-Idanre and his attempt selection process accordingly be nullified. And that the letter given by the Secretary of the Idanre Local Government to the 1st Defendant (Engr. Alex Akinnadeju) to commence selection process of the Aladeokun of Alade-Idanre is illegal, arbitrary, irregular, null and void.

The first hearing by the Ondo State High Court Holden at Akure was held on 26th July, 2023 and adjourned till October 2023 after the Court recess.