*Tight Security As Court Declines To Stop Ceremony
ILESA in Osun State was agog, on Friday, May 23, as former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other notable guests stormed the ancient town to attend the coronation of the new Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Clement Adesuyi Haastrup, Ajimoko II.
The Chairman of the Coronation Media Committee, Shola Oshunkeye, who confirmed the arrival of Obasanjo, told The Nation that Tinubu was scheduled to attend, adding: “Yesterday night, we have received the former president of Nigeria in Ilesa, Olusegun Obasanjo. Atiku and his wife will also attend, but we are yet to receive them.
“Also, President Bola Tinubu will be attending the coronation if anything does not change, but if it does, his Vice President, Kashim Shettima, will represent him.
“We are ready to receive high-profile Nigerians within and outside Nigeria for this coronation and security has been put in place.”
Ahead of the ceremony, there was tight security, following the refusal of an Osun State High Court, in the town, earlier in the day to stop the coronation
At the sitting on the case filed by the Arimoro family of Bilaro Oluodo Ruling House, on Thursday, May 22, Justice M. Agboola held that until the issues around the service of the court process on the first respondent, Oba Haastrup, was sorted, the application stopping the coronation should not proceed.
Haastrup; Governor Ademola Adeleke; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy, Dosu Babatunde; and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada; and the Ilesa kingmakers were dragged before the court by Arimoro in a suit.
At the proceedings, Counsel for the claimant, Oyebola Odeleye, informed the court of a pending application already ripe for hearing, seeking to stop Haastrup’s coronation, urging the court to allow him to move it.
However, a Chief State Counsel, Muyiwa Ogunleye, representing Adeleke and the two commissioners joined in the suit, drew the attention of the court to an application filed by the Counsel for the first respondent, Oluwasesan Dada, seeking to set aside service of the claimant’s process on his client.
The state counsel said Dada, who was not available at the day’s proceedings, having written to take permission to be absent due to another matter coming up before the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, at the penultimate hearing, claimed his client had not properly served the claimant’s application.
Ogunleye said Dada informed the court that Haastrup was already in seclusion and was not accessible at the time the claimant said the process was served on him.
In his ruling, Justice Agboola held that the issue of service must first be resolved before the application seeking to stop the coronation could be heard and adjourned the matter until July 3 for hearing of all pending applications.
“It’s so sad that these pleadings were extended over four months instead of 60 days. Both parties have not been serious about the case.
“However, until the pending application has been addressed, it will be unwise for the court to grant the interlocutory injunction,” the Judge said.
Ahead of the coronation ceremony, the Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NCDSC) and the Osun Sector of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) deployed operatives for the success of the event.
The coronation, held at Obokungbusi Hall, Ilesa, was expected to be attended by important dignitaries across the country and beyond.
