LAGOS — A Lagos State High Court, sitting in Ikeja, has granted an order directing that court processes in a suit challenging the appointment of the Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Mobaland be served on Chief Hassan Elegushi, through substituted means by pasting the same on the wall of the Onikoyi Palace, Ikoyi.
Trial judge, Justice O. Oresanya, gave the order following a motion ex-parte by the claimants seeking leave of court to serve the writ of summons and other originating processes on the 4th defendant at his last known address, Onikoyi Palace, Block 5, Onikoyi Lane, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.
While the claimants were represented by P. Lasisi, SAN, Adeniji Kazeem, SAN, and Ademola Ekundayo, counsel to the 4th defendant was Wale Adesokan, SAN.
The suit was instituted by members of the Onikoyi Royal Family, otherwise known as the Onikoyi Chieftaincy Family, who are challenging the selection and installation of Prince Kunle Fafunwa as the Oba Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Moba Land.
The claimants include Otunba Abdul Onikoyi, Prince Akinola Fafunwa, Prince Abdul Sulaimon, Chief Hassan Elegushi, Alhaji Musiliu Onikoyi, Alhaja Wosilat Quadri, Mrs Adeola Davies, Prince Babatunde Onikoyi, Prince Babatunde Shadeko and Alhaji Ashraf Esinlokun.
Joined as defendants are the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Eti-Osa Local Government and Prince Kunle Fafunwa.
In the suit through their counsel, Mr Ademola Ekundayo, the claimants are seeking declaratory and injunctive reliefs, urging the court to nullify the appointment of Prince Fafunwa on grounds that it contravenes the Onikoyi Chieftaincy Declaration of 2006 and the Obas and Chiefs Law of Lagos State.
