Monarch gets 14 days for contempt

Ondo State High Court in Oka, headquarters of Akoko Southwest Local Government, has ordered the conviction of Olusupare of Supare, Oba Adejoro Adedeji.

He was charged with contempt over the Olokeogboran’s chieftaincy stool.

The court ordered Olusupare to install Chief Emmanuel Adekunle Alabi, who was selected by the quarter’s screening committee, as the Olokeogboran of Oke-Ogboran.

The ruling was delivered on July 12, 2017.

Rather than comply with the order, Oba Adejoro was said to have retained George Adeleye as Olokeogboran.

Besides, the monarch failed to appear in court as directed.

Justice D.I. Kolawole, after submissions of counsel, ordered the police commissioner to arrest Oba Adejoro.

He said: “I order that Oba Adejoro should be arrested and handed over to the Ondo State Comptroller of Prisons, who will keep him in one of the prisons.

“The incarceration will last until the contemnor purges himself of his contempt by complying fully with the orders of the court given against him on July 12 that he should install Alabi as Olokeogboran and withdraw recognition from Adeleye.

“However, considering the institution of Obaship, being Olusupare of Supare-Akoko, which is highly valued in the society, I will give him another opportunity for him to rethink his continued defiance of the court.

“The orders directed at the police commissioner to arrest him and hand him over to the comptroller of prisons in Ondo State, who will keep him in one of the prisons until he purges himself of the contempt he has for the court are suspended within 14 days.”                    Justice Kolawole said the order would take effect from the midnight of October 17 unless Alabi filed an affidavit showing that Oba Adejoro had complied with the orders of the court to install him as the Olokeogboran of Oke-Ogboran.