Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has approved the reinstatement of Sunday Olusegun Bolawaye Oladejo as the Onilala/Baale of Lanlate town in Ibarapa East Local Government Area of the State.
DAILY POST gathered that Oladejo’s reinstatement was in line with the judgement of an Oyo High Court of Justice delivered in October 2018.
It will be recalled that Oladejo was installed as the Onilala of Lanlate on 14th May 2008.
He was later deposed during the administration of the immediate past Governor of the state, Mr. Abiola Ajimobi in 2012.
Ajimobi in February 2012 installed Abdulateef Adewuyi as Oladejo’s replacement.
But an Oyo state High Court sacked Olagoke in October 2018, describing his appointment as illegal.
Consequently, the immediate past Governor of the state, Mr. Abiola Ajimobi who was the Governor then, refused to implement the Court judgement and went ahead to confer Obaship title on Olagoke
Ajimobi in May 2019 conferred Obaship title on the embattled Baale of Lanlate, Abdulateef Olawuyi Olagoke, despite a court judgement that asked the embattled monarch to vacate the stool.
Olagoke was sacked by a High Court in the state in a judgement delivered on October 5th, 2018 after 19 years legal battle on who is the rightful person to occupy the stool.
Justice B.A Taiwo, of the State’s High Court, held that Olagoke’s installation was “unlawful, illegal, null and void”.
The Court also nullified Olagoke’s installation, describing it as “unlawful, illegal, null and void” and “a breach of the right of the claimants to fair hearing.”
The court restrained the state government and its agencies from recognizing Olagoke as the Baale of Lanlate and also restrained him from parading himself as the Baale of Lanlate also known as Onilala of Lanlate.
The government was then ordered to reinstate Oladejo to his position as Baale of Lanlate and restore all the rights, privileges and entitlements attached to his office.
But, the state government under the leadership of Ajimobi ignored the Court judgement.
Makinde who took over from Ajimobi has however approved the reinstatement of Oladejo as prescribed by the Court.
The Governor in a letter dated February 3rd, 2020 and signed by Opatunmbi Femi Lawrence, Director (Chieftaincy Matter) at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in the state, approved the reinstatement of the deposed monarch.
Makinde in the letter said that, Abdul-Lateed Olawuyi Olagoke has been deposed.
He declared that Olagoke’s appointment and reinstatement was unlawful, illegal, null and void.
The letter addressed to Oladejo reads, “I am directed to refer to the above subject matter on the letter dated 15th March 2019, from your counsel on the above subject and inform you that the Executive Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engineer Seyi Makinde has graciously approved your reinstatement as Onilala/ Baale of Lanlate town with effect from 19th January 2020 in line with the judgement of the High Court of Justice of Oyo State of Nigeria delivered on 5th October 2018.
“By this letter, Chief Abdulateef Olawuyi Olagoke, has been deposed and his purported appointment and reinstatement have been declared unlawful, illegal and null and void. Kindly note that he has been communicated accordingly”.
