Court Sacks Oba In Lagos, Orders Him To Pay N30m Damages

 

 

Justice Musa Kurya of a Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered Oba Babatunde Akanbi Lawal to vacate his throne as the traditional ruler of Shasha in Alimosho area of the State. Justice Kurya also ordered the deposed traditional ruler to pay N30 million to Babatunde Akinlowo, who had claimed to be the rightful heir to the throne, and seven others.

Babatunde Akinlowo and others had filed the case to enforce their fundamental human rights action on behalf of themselves and Akinlowo Olaife royal family of Shasha.

In the judgment, the court held that, “In the absence of any defence from the 10th respondent, I hereby hold in favour of the applicants and accordingly, all the reliefs sought by plaintiffs are hereby granted except relief 17 which deals with damages.

Respondents in the suit includes:

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Alhaji Abdul-Rahhman Ola Akano, Governor Babatunde Fashola and the Lagos State Police Commissioner.

The deposed oba and his aide, Tajudeen Usuman Akano, are the 10th and 11th respondents, respectively.

Recall that the applicants had urged the court to issue a, “Declaration that the 7th-9th respondents (Lagos State government and the Lagos State Attorney-General) act of glossing over the issue of crime of impersonation of the applicants’ royal family name, Ogunronbi” and the subsequent installation of Lawal as Oba Nasiru Babatunde Ogunronbi 1, was illegal and unconstitutional.”