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A human rights body,the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) has forwarded a Petition Letter to Osun State Government over alleged forgery of selection documents to install a deposed Osun monarch,Mr. Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye, declaring that it was an act of committing felony.
The rights group also declared that
the allegation of usage of fake and forgery selection documents to appoint and install deposed Adegboye by immediate past Government of Gboyega Oyetola, needs to be investigated by the present administration of Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke.
Alleging that Adegboye would have been using forgery and illegal process to draw monthly salary payment from the purse of the Government with other entitlement,if not the judicial intervention of the Court of Appeal,Akure Judicial Division that sacked Adegboye through its landmark Judgement dated 8th day of August,2022.
It then called on the Osun State Government under the leadership of Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke to set up a Mini Administrative Panel of Inquiry (MAPI) to conduct credible and thorough investigation into the allegation in order to unravel the controversy sorrounding the illegal appointment and subsequent installation of Adegboye as new Alawo of Awo in Egbedore Local Government area of the State.
It would be recalled that the Appeal Court of Akure Judicial Division had earlier nullified the illegal appointment and subsequent installation of Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye as new Alawo by Gboyega Oyetola Government, through its landmark Judgement dated 8th day of August,2022 by stopping Adegboye from wearing any insignia or parading himself as new Alawo henceforth.
The group equally called for the implementation of the said Appeal Court Judgement by the present administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke, alleging that the previous government of Adegboyega Oyetola and his Special Adviser in charge of Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs,Mr Rasaq Adeosun, claimed that they could not implement the landmark Judgement of the Appeal Court on Alawo Stool on the ground that Taiwo Adegboye is the strong member of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Egbedore Local Government area of the State.
Drawing the attention of the Governor Ademola Adeleke on the importance of implementing the Appeal Court Judgement on the subject matter without any political innuendo with the imperishable dictum of late Justice Chuckwudifu Oputa of the Supreme Court of Nigeria that “If a man in power today and closing the gate to justice,that gate will remain closed when he is out of power till the time he desperately need to access justice.So,the rule of law should be for all season.When one disobey Court pronouncements at Will,it will come back to hunt the person. So,if you are in power today, please be humble and obey all Courts Orders because the power is transient”.
This was contained in a Comprehensive Letter dated Tuesday 22nd of August,2023 and forwarded to the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice,who is also the Chief Legal Officer of Osun State, Barrister Wole Jimi-Bada and also forwarded the same to Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barrister Dosu Babatunde with the host of other concern authorities in the State
The Letter which was signed by the Assistant General Secretary (AGS) of the human rights body (CHRSJ), Pastor Michael Agaasi and copies were made available to newsmen on Tuesday, appealing to Osun State Government under the able leadership of Governor Ademola Adeleke to stay neutral by not supporting any party over the controversy sorrounding the Stool but to stand on justice on the subject matter.
The letter also urged the State Government to implement the Appeal Court Judgement that sacked the impostor on the Stool, Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye from parading himself as new Alawo, referring to the case of ABACHA V. FAWEHINMI (2002)2 SCNQR 489 at 546 thus: “…..It is the law that a decision of a Court of competent jurisdiction,no matter that if seems palpable null and void, unattractive or unsurportable, remains good law and uncompromisingly binding until set aside by a superior Court of competent jurisdiction”.
According to the Letter which read thus, “Although,the reason being given by the previous government of Oyetola led administration to accept forgery selection documents for Taiwo Adegboye’s illegal appointment and subsequent installation,usage of wrong law and disrespect to Court Orders and non- implementation of Appeal Court judgment was that Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye, a former councilor under APC and a strong member of All progressive Congress (APC) in Egbedore Local Government, Awo, Osun State.
“These are the particulars of forgery of selection documents in respect of illegal appointment and subsequent installation of Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye as new Alawo with; different thumbprint impressions and signatures of the Mogaji/Head, Alhaji (Prince) Abdulkareem Adegboye and Secretary, Alhaji (Prince) Abioye Hamzat Gboyelade/Prince (Alhaji) Hamzat Abiodoye/Hamsat Abidoye of Abioye Ruling House/Compound, Awo respectively as contained in the Certified True Copy of Taiwo Adegboye’s Expression of Interest Form N0:000000114, to fill the vacant Stool of Alawo,
“The selection minutes of meeting credited to Abioye Ruling House/Compound, Awo dated 24st(th) August, 2020, that was forged in favour of Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye with another thumbprint impression and signature of the Mogaji/Head and Secretary of Abioye Ruling House/Compound, Awo, Osun State and other relating documents as contained in the Certified True Copy of the Covering Letter with Reference N0: ELG.396/T/28B,dated 24st(th) August,2020 and signed by one Mrs. Olabimtan F. Abiola, the Council Manager for Chairman, Egbedore Local Government Awo, with attachment of Selection Minutes, the Certified True Copy of Adegboye’s Exhibit B03 tendered in Suit N0: HED/26/2020 in favour of Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye and Taiwo Adegboye’s Certified True Copy of Bond to Prosecute Appeal with Appeal N0: CA/AK/58/2021 on Suit N0: HOS/84/2020, respectively.
“CHRSJ wishes to inform your good office as Chief Legal Officer of Osun State that Abioye Ruling House/Compound, Awo under the Mogaji/Headship of Alhaji (Prince) Abdulkareeem Adegboye, did not at anytime and /or anywhere call for any meeting whatsoever on the acclaimed date of 24st August, 2020, where some of the officials of Egbedore Local Government, Awo, claimed to be an observers without having any evidence of ‘VIDEO CLIP” to show where the sons and daughters of Abioye Ruling House/Compound, Awo met to choose Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye as Abioye Ruling House’s candidate to fill the vacant Stool of Alawo, after the demise of the last holder of the stool, late Oba Musa Olatunbosun Adebayo from Akinsilo Ruling House/Compound, Awo as contained in the Abioye Rulling House’s Organogram.
“Sir, in this age of ours,there was no way such an important event of selecting a new candidate in respect of Chieftaincy Stool(Obaship) would take place without having a video clip of such an important event by the Local Government officials as part of evidences to proof beyond reasonable doubt that such an event took place.
“But wonder shall never end as Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye just sat at the comfort of his room in the year 2020 and writing the Selection Minutes in his own favour because of his position then as Legislative Leader of the APC controlling Egbedore Local Government, Awo, without minding the legal due process attached to the selection of the new monarch in our legal society. Then, Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye acted in Contrary to Section (15) sub-section (5) that ,’The State shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power’ and anyone who encourages corruption in any form, deserve no honour.
“In addition Sir,no one can build something on nothing and any house built on falsehood,will definitely collapse.When there are rules of engagement which must be adhered to strictly and the Osun State Government under Governor Ademola Adeleke should not allow this impunity to be covered in our society as no one is bigger than the law of the land and the law must take its due course.
“The Governor Oyetola led administration also carried out the illegal, null and void appointment and subsequent installation of Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye with wrong law of obsolete,outdated, repealed and revoked Registered 1957 Alawo of Awo Chieftaincy Declaration, instead of subsisting 1979 Registered Alawo of Awo Chieftaincy Declaration and the Supreme Court of Nigeria in SC.19/1997 had stated that when a Registered Declaration exists in a relation to a Chieftaincy. It constitutes a complete statement of the relevant customs/traditions/or customary law applicable to the said Chieftaincy. The Court and parties are not allowed to go outside it in deciding a Chieftaincy Stool”.
“Although, the administration of Adegboyega Oyetola through the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Egbedore Local Government which are the authorities concern in the selection process and subsequent installation, did not hide their usage of wrong law of 1957 Chieftaincy Declaration for the illegal,null and void selection process and subsequent installation of Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye as new Alawo, instead of the Registered 1979 Alawo of Awo Chieftaincy Declaration for his illegal installation as contained in the Certified True Copies of Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Letter with Reference N0: CD.6/2/Vol.III/1189, dated 12th August 2020 and signed by one Bashir Oladipupo for Permanent Secretary and also that of Egbedore Local Government,Awo, Letter with Reference N0: ELG.396/T/24, dated 12th August,2020, signed by one Olambintan F. Abiola, the Council Manager for Chairman.
“This aforementioned action of usage of wrong law of 1957 Declaration necessitated the Ogunrinde family of Iragberi which had been uprooted from the Alawo Chieftaincy Stool by Justice Akin Apara Commission of Inquiry of 1978 which snowballed to the Registration of 1979 Alawo of Awo Chieftaincy Declaration on 1st July 1979, to institute a Court action in suit N0:HED/07/2021, that if the State Government could allow misleading wrong law of Registered 1957 Alawo Chieftaincy Declaration to install Taiwo Rasaq Adegboye as new Alawo illegally, then, they too would claim their rightful Chieftaincy Stool in the 1957 Alawo Chieftaincy Declaration as contained in their Writ of Summons of Suit N0:HED/07/2021”.
The group, therefore,in the interest of equity and justice , urged the State Government under Governor Ademola Adeleke to act in accordance with the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the case of SC.1/2020 on Appeal N0: CA/A/1053/2019 on FHC/ABJ/CS/1101/2019- PDP&2Ors. V.Biobarakuma Degi- Eremieyo & 3Ors.
