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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

Ruling Houses Sue Iwo Monarch Over Alleged Exhumation of Past Kings' Remains

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Documents & data In the courts
  • Three ruling houses in Iwo, Osun State, have sued the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abudulroshed Akanbi, seeking his removal from the throne.
  • The lawsuit alleges that Oba Akanbi exhumed the remains of past kings from the palace premises, an act the claimants deem unlawful and against tradition.
  • The claimants also seek a declaration that the stool is vacant and that Oba Akanbi is unqualified to hold the position, alongside other reliefs.

A legal battle has erupted in Iwo, Osun State, as three ruling houses have dragged the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abudulroshed Akanbi, before the State High Court. The core of the lawsuit, filed on behalf of the Ogunmakinde Ande, Adegunodo, and Alausa ruling houses, centers on allegations that Oba Akanbi exhumed the remains of past kings from their traditional burial sites within the palace premises.

A MANDATORY ORDER of Court compelling the 1st Defendant to vacate and/or abdicate the exalted throne of Oluwo of Iwo being no longer a fit and proper person to occupy and/or continue to occupy the exalted throne of Oluwo of Iwo.

· Claimants' depositionOne of the primary reliefs sought in the lawsuit against the Oluwo of Iwo.

The claimants, represented by their counsel Soji Oyetayo, are seeking multiple reliefs, including a declaration that Oba Akanbi is unqualified to be the Oluwo of Iwo and a mandatory order compelling him to vacate the throne. They argue that his unilateral decision to exhume the royal remains is irregular, unlawful, and a violation of Iwo's customs and traditions. The suit further seeks a declaration that the stool of the Oluwo of Iwo is now vacant.

A DECLARATION that the unilateral decision of the 1st Defendant to exhume and the exhumation of the remains of the corpses of the past Oluwo of Iwo from the traditional place of ‘Ileta’ where they were buried within the palace (in accordance with the custom and tradition of Iwo) is irregular, unlawful, without moral justification and same is against the custom and tradition of Iwo land.

· Claimants' depositionThe central allegation regarding the exhumation of royal remains.

Beyond the exhumation controversy, the claimants also demand that the court declare the invitation, arrest, and detention of one of the claimants, Adedoja Osunwo, by the police at Oba Akanbi's instance, over a civil defamation matter, as unlawful and a breach of fundamental rights. The lawsuit names several defendants, including the Osun State Governor, various state commissioners, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director of the National Cyber Crime Centre, indicating the broad scope of the legal challenge.

AN ORDER of Court declaring the stool and throne of Oluwo of Iwo vacant.

· Claimants' depositionA key demand related to the alleged misconduct of the Oluwo.
About this summary

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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