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Opinions of Tuesday, 6 April 2021

Columnist: Oluwatosin Omojuyigbe

Chieftaincy tussle: Lagos court orders parties to maintain status quo

Maintain the status quo - Lagos state court advises Maintain the status quo - Lagos state court advises

Justice E. I. Alakija of the Lagos State High Court has ordered the parties in the chieftaincy tussle of the Badore community in the Eti-Osa Local Government area of Lagos State to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the suit before the court.

The claimants, Salia Yisa, Waliu Moye and Musaliu Jatto in suit, LD/7185GCNW/2020, had sought an order of the court restraining one Rasaki Jikoji from parading himself as the community’s head, following his election by the chieftaincy family as Baale of Badore community.

The other defendants in the suit are Muyu Jikoji, Kamoru Jikoji and Saheed Jikoji.

According to the claimants, Moye was also approved as the Baale of Badore by the Eti-Osa LGA on September 2, 2020, adding that he was installed as Baale before the suit was filed before the court but the defendants opposed him via a November 2, 2020, 14-paragraph counter-affidavit deposed to by Prince Adeola Rasaki Jikoji.

The defendant’s urged the court to dismiss the claimants’ application for gross disrespect of the court, adding that they filed a suit on August 19, 2020, while the claimants, during the pendency and with full knowledge of the suit, installed Moye as the Baale of the community on September 16, 2020.

Ruling on the application, Justice Alakija agreed with the defendants’ argument that Moye was installed while the suit was on contrary to legal procedure.

She said, “In the light of the facts before the court, the submission of counsel, it is evident that the act of the 2nd Claimant approval/installation was carried out during the pendency of this suit.”

The judge, thereafter, ordered the parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the suit.