Court halts Lagos monarch’s coronation

Lagos State High Court, Ikeja

A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has halted the proposed coronation of Chief Kabiru Adesegun Bashiru as the Olu of Oko Baba Agba in Oworonshoki.

The court barred Bashiru, the Lagos State Government, and the Oloworo of Oworo Kingdom from taking steps to facilitate the coronation scheduled for November 16.

The court also suspended the effect of Bashiru’s purported installation and prohibited the state government from granting him official recognition as the traditional ruler pending the determination of a suit challenging his emergence.

Justice D. T. Olatokun of the General Civil Division made the orders on Friday in Suit No. ID/9885GCMW/2023 following an application by seven claimants.

The seven claimants are Adeniyi Saliu, Mistura Saliu, Akinola Saliu, Biliaminu Saliu, Akibu Owoseni, Rosulu Seidu, and Lukmon Olaoluwa.

In the enrolled order made available to Saturday PUNCH, the judge granted a mandatory injunction directing the defendants to restore and maintain the status quo ante existing before Bashiru’s purported installation as the Olu of Oko Baba Agba.

The court further ordered the defendants to suspend the effect, operation, and consequences of the purported installation pending the hearing and final determination of the substantive suit.

Specifically, Justice Olatokun restrained the Governor of Lagos State and the Attorney-General, along with their agents, ministries, departments, and agencies, from granting any governmental, administrative, or official recognition to Bashiru as the traditional ruler.

The judge also barred the two government officials from recognising, approving, gazetting, publishing, listing, dealing with, or holding out Bashiru as the Olu of Oko Baba Agba.

Bashiru was equally restrained from parading, presenting, representing, holding himself out, or otherwise portraying himself as the traditional ruler until the determination of the suit.

The order further restrains the defendants from taking additional administrative, executive, governmental, or traditional steps to consolidate, formalise, or validate the disputed traditional institution.

The court directed the defendants to preserve the subject matter of the suit pending the hearing and final determination of the case.

The matter was adjourned until January 26, 2027, for a Case Management Conference.