The Dosunmu Onikoyi Royal Family of the Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Imoba kingdom has knocked the Muti Onikoyi arm of the family for choosing an Oba-elect to replace late Oba Ibikunle Fafunwa-Onikoyi.
The family noted that the Muti family has no legal or historical right to produce an Oba when the late Oba was from their house.
A family representative Prince Ganiyu Onikoyi said what the Muti family has done is a flagrant display of total disregard to the law of the land, stating the Supreme Court was unambiguous in its judgement concerning the ruling houses of the Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Imoba kingdom.
He said: “As far as I’m concerned, the Muti family are breaking the law by going against the Supreme Court judgement on the Obaship process. The late Oba Ibikunle Fafunwa-Onikoyi was from the Muti family.
“The Late Oba that preceded him was Adamo Dosunmu Onikoyi, from the Dosunmu family. He ruled for 13 years. As contained in the judgement, only two families, are recognised as deserving of the throne, the Dosunmu and Muti and the Court prescribed that it should be on rotational basis between the two families. As it was Dosunmu before Muti, it should be Muti after Dosunmu as in the case of Adamo Dosunmu Onikoyi and Ibikunle Fafunwa-Onikoyi Muti. The next Oba should be from the Dosunmu family.
“This assertion was affirmed by the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the case of AGBETOBA&ORDS Vs. LAGOS STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL&ORDS reported in 1991 4 NWLR part 188.”
Another representative of the family Moshood Maiyegun provided more historical and legal insights.
He stated: “In 2004, the Standing Tribunal of lnquiry into Chieftaincy Matters in Lagos State chaired by Hon. Justice A.O. Silva recommended that Chief Patrick Ibikunle being the incumbent Chief Onikoyi of Lagos be crowned as the first Oba Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Imoba and that it shall be the turn of DOSUNMU Ruling House to ascend the Obaship stool after the tenure of Oba Ibikunle Fafunwa.
“The above recommendations of the Tribunal of Inquiry was accepted and implemented by the Lagos State Government.
“We are aware of the defective 2006 Declaration being flaunted by Otunba Ganiyu Onikoyi. We need to state unequivocally that the defective Declaration of 2006 was surreptitiously procured while they were unlawfully alienating family properties and the Court of Appeal in suit CA/L/697/2012: ALHAJI R.O. ONIKOYI & ORDS Vs. STERLING ASSETS MANAGEMENT & TRUSTEES LTD., CHIEF PATRICK IBIKUNLE FAFUNWA-ONIKOYI &ORDS refused to admit the defective Declaration in evidence, just as the High Court refused to admit same.
“Needless to say that the judgement of Supreme Court that affirmed the TWO RULING HOUSES (MUTI and DOSUNMU) was mischievously concealed from the Government of the day so as to procure the 2006 Declaration.
“The legal position is that once a matter has been litigated up to Supreme Court and a final judgement delivered, no other court in the land can revisit the matter. In this case, the subject matter is the same; the parties are the same; hence the legal principle of Res judicata applies.
“There must be an end to litigation; the Supreme Court judgement has therefore put a final stop to the question of how many ruling houses we have in Onikoyi Royal Family.
“Finally, the Tribunal of Inquiry of Justice Silva recommended unambiguously that it is the turn of DOSUNMU RULING HOUSE to ascend the throne after the tenure of King Patrick Ibikunle Fafunwa.”
