By Peter Omopo
The Osun State High Court in Ilesa on Thursday declined a request to halt the coronation of the newly appointed Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Clement Haastrup, which is scheduled to hold today (Friday), citing unresolved issues over court process service.
Justice M. Agboola, presiding over the case filed by the Arimoro family of the Bilaro Oluodo Ruling House, ruled that the application to stop the coronation could not proceed until the court determines whether Oba Haastrup had been properly served with the court papers.
The suit, marked HL/8/25, names Oba Haastrup, Governor Ademola Adeleke, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dosu Babatunde, Attorney General Oluwole Jimi-Bada, and the Ilesa kingmakers as respondents.
During Thursday’s proceedings, counsel for the claimant, Oyebola Odeleye, urged the court to hear a pending motion seeking to restrain Haastrup’s coronation. However, Muyiwa Ogunleye, a Chief State Counsel representing the state government, informed the court that Haastrup’s counsel, Oluwasesan Dada, had earlier filed an application challenging the validity of the service of court processes on his client.
Ogunleye explained that Dada, who was absent due to a conflicting Court of Appeal appearance, claimed that Oba Haastrup had already entered seclusion—a traditional requirement—at the time the court papers were allegedly served, rendering the service invalid.
Justice Agboola agreed that the issue of service must be resolved before any other applications can be entertained, and adjourned the matter until July 3 for the hearing of all pending motions.
Expressing concern over the pace of the proceedings, the judge noted, “It’s so sad that these pleadings were extended over four months instead of the stipulated 60 days. Both parties have not been serious about the case.”
Meanwhile, tight security was observed around Ilesa in anticipation of the coronation ceremony, amid ongoing legal disputes.
