30th June, 2011
Contrary to the deposition of Aro of Ijora, Chief Mufutau Oloyede, in a N10 million suit he instituted against the Inspector General of Police and three others, that the Ojora of Ijora, Oba Fatai Aromire, has been harassing him since he was installed, the monarch has debunked the allegation in a counter affidavit he filed against the suit.
In a statement sworn to by Chief Oloyede and filed before a Federal High Court in Lagos by a Lagos lawyer, Ogunjimi Oluseyi, he alleged that on 8 December, 1999, Oba Aromire, alongside some of his subjects, wrote a petition against him to the Area Commander, Area ‘C’ Police Command, consequent upon which he was invited, detained beyond 48 hours and was brutally beaten.
He alleged further that the monarch also filed a suit against him and moved the court to lock the Aro Oloye palace.
Apart from this, Chief Oloyede averred that since then, he has either been beaten up, while his life has been constantly threatened.
In view of this, he urged the court to compel the respondents to pay him the sum of N10 million as compensation for damages he suffered during his detention by the police.
However, in his counter affidavit filed before the court by Mr. Adeola Adeleke, the Ojora, while denying almost all the averments of Chief Oloyede, averred that he is a highly respectable traditional ruler and would not have treated any of his subjects inhumanly as the applicant is one of his subjects, while he owed it a duty that peace prevailed in any part of his community.
The monarch averred further that it is true that whenever he sees likelihood of breakdown of law and order, he do inform the police either orally or by petition.
He contended that Chief Oloyede has problem with his family members on the issue of who becomes the Aro of Ijora Kingdom and till date, the issue is still pending before a Lagos High Court, consequently, the order to lock the Aro palace was made by the court.
It was further averred that the people who attacked the applicant and destroyed his properties had been arrested upon his complaint to the police and charged to court in Ebute Meta, adding that the case is still pending and that the applicant was alleged to be using the instrument of the judiciary to intimidate and threaten anybody who does not support his desire to occupy the traditional seat of Aro of Ijora kingdom.
It was also alleged that the applicant has been restrained by the court from parading himself as Aro, but in disobedience of the order, he still parades himself as such.
Oba Aromire, while claiming that the suit is vexatious and an abuse of court process, urged the court to dismiss same in its entirely with substantial cost as it amounted to abuse of judicial process.
Justice Okechukwu Okeke has adjourned till next month for further hearing.