An Ogun State High Court sitting in Ipokia Judicial Division says there was no formal appointment of a recognised Chief for the stool of Onipokia of Ipokia made by Ipokia Kingmakers and communicated to the appropriate Authorities.

Mr Gboyega Ogunfowora stated this while dismissing a preliminary objection by Kingmakers of Ipokia Traditional Council of Chiefs, in a trial on the chieftaincy tussle to elect a new Onipokia of Ipokia, in Ogun West area of the State.

The Judge, while striking out the objection challenging jurisdiction of the court to adjudicate on the matter, described it as frivolous and unmeritorious.

Claimants in the trial, the Asade-Adekanbi Royal Family, which include Mr Adesola, Mr Adepegba and Mrs Akinleye Alaba had taken Kingmakers of Ipokia Traditional council to court for the wrongful selection of one Mr Yisa Olaniyan by a minority vote contrary to a 1956 declaration and the directive of the State Government on the process of selecting the new Onipokia.

The family also claimed that the said Olaniyan was in no way related to the Iwaye- Dodo ruling House nor a member of the Asade-Adekambi Royal Family and extension whose turn is to produce the Onipokia.

In a bid to stall the trial Kingmakers of Ipokia Traditional Council of Chiefs, led by the 7th Defendant, the Esemo of Ipokia, Mr Fatai Agbeyemi had raised a preliminary objection,

on the grounds that the Asade Family in filing the suit, failed to comply with the mandatory requirements of the Chiefs Law of Ogun State describing the action as hasty, premature and incompetent.

The claimants filed a counter affidavit stating that upon the wrong selection process of Olaniyan as Onipokia of Ipokia, Chairman of Ipokia Local Government was prompted to complain through a written document, while there is a letter of the State Government nullifying the selection process. Both letters were tendered as exhibits in the trial.

The trial judge, Ogunfowora pointed out that "the pleadings in the case proved that no formal appointment of a recognised Chief had been made by the Kingmakers and communicated to the appropriate authorities".

He said, it would not be in the interests of justice for the claimants to fold their arms and look on, while their perceived rights are being allegedly infringed.

Ogunfowora said "the preliminary objection of the 7th Defendant is dismissed as being frivolous and unmeritorious in the light of the above.”