Olofa stool: Appeal Court suspends further hearing

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

The newly constituted panel of Appeal Court, Ilorin division, has suspended all issues on Olofa stool tussle before it, in order to give room for the Supreme Court, the highest Court to determine the case filed before it by the ruling houses.

The panel, Justices A.G Mshelia, Hon. Justice A Jauro and Hon. Justice Pemu, had adjourned the hearing of the case for ruling for today, on a notice brought before it by the Olugbense ruling house of Offa town, asking it to stay proceedings in an appeal and other applications connected to the appeal between the ruling house and Anilelerin ruling house, Offa kingmakers and the Kwara state government.

The Annilelerin ruling House and the Offa kingmakers had applied for a stay of execution of judgement delivered by a sister appeal panel of the court, which dethroned Oba Muftau Gbadamosi of the house and ordered that Olugbense house should produce the next monarch of Offa town.

The Olugbense house applied before the Supreme Court for stay of proceedings at the Court of Appeal, to which the Anilelerin house and the kingmakers applied for a stay of execution.

It was on the grounds of this motion at the Supreme Court that the Olugbense ruling house brought before the Appeal Court their notice, titled: “Notice of Pendency of an Application before the Supreme Court”.

The new panel of justice of the court, headed by Justice A.G. Mshelia and which include Justices A. Jauro and R.N. Pemu allowed hearing on the notice on Tuesday, after the Lead counsel to the kingmakers, Yusuf Ali had informed the court of his preliminary objection to the notice.

While ruling on their arguments yesterday, the panels, in a unanimous ruling, read by Justice Pemu, said the Appeal Court, Ilorin Division is the Court of order and would not go on with the case that is before the highest court.

The panel, therefore, suspended all issues before it till the Supreme Court determined the case before it. “We put a hold on this case pending the determination of Supreme Court”, it stated.