The Omowumi-Abisogun Royal Family of Iruland in Lagos has debunked a report that it had withdrawn the suit challenging the emergence of Oba Gbolahan Lawal as Oniru of Iruland.
Alhaji Surajudeen Durosinmi, Head of Omowumi-Abisogun Ruling House, made this known on Tuesday while briefing newsmen on behalf of the Oniru Family.
According to him, the family’s position was arrived at after an emergency meeting of the family held in Lagos on Tuesday.
He said that one lawyer Monsur Babatunde-Dauda who claimed to have withdrawn the suit did not have the brief of the family to act as a counsel representing the family.
Durosinmi said: “Our family is a law-abiding family which beliefs in the rule-of-law, and that is why we went to court to challenge the emergence of Gbolahan.
“Oba Gbolahan is not a member of Oniru family but an imposition of politicians.
“I’m the Head of Omowumi-Abisogun Ruling House worldwide.
“Babatunde-Dauda, who claimed to be a lawyer representing us and claiming to have withdrawn the suit challenging Gbolahan Lawal as Oniru of Lagos does not have our instruction to withdraw the suit
“How will some people mislead the public that they have withdrawn the case they didn’t take to court?
“We are the ones challenging the ascension of Oba Gbolahan into that stool and the matter is still there.”
The family head added that the lawyer and others who met at Iruland palace did so on their own and did not represent the family.
Durosinmi said the claim that the Omowumi-Abisogun Ruling House gathered in the palace of Oniru for reconciliation with Lawal was untrue, adding that the family was unaware of it.
“As an elder, I’ll only advise the Oba to follow the path of honour and vacate the sacred palace of Oniru because he is not a member of Oniru family.
“He should also be mindful of charade with mission to extort money from him.
“We want the government to stand for justice and fairness in this matter. It is our rightful stool,” Durosinmi said.
According to him, there is no division within the Omowumi-Abisogun Ruling House.
He said that the process of removing Oba Lawal through legal means was ongoing.
“Our choice of a legal practitioner is doing his work in court. We are not interested in mortgaging our tomorrow for a pot of porridge,” Durosinmi added.
The family head also claimed that there had been some threats to his life.
In his contribution, Mr Olubunmi Olateju, a member of the Omowumi-Abisogun Ruling House, said the family had resolved to reclaim the Obaship title of Oniru through judicial process.
Olateju said that the decision to challenge Oba Lawal’s ascension was a joint decision taken by members of the family both home and abroad after wide consultations.
He said that the decision could not be reverted by some people who were not aware of how the process started.
The family lawyer, Mr Chike Nwachukwu, said the news briefing became imperative to correct the wrong impression created in the public that the matter had been withdrawn from court.
“The family is surprised because they do not have any other counsel in this matter except our firm, CC Nwachukwu and Co.
“I am not aware of the withdrawal and I don’t know the lawyer. I believe something is fishy somewhere. it is an embarrassment to the family,” Nwachukwu said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that controversies had trailed the installation of Oba Lawal in 2020 as the Oniru of Iruland.
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