Oniru Stool: Family Vows to Continue Case against Oba Gbolahan

Wale Igbintade

Members of Omowumi-Abisogun Oniru of Iruland, Lagos state, have debunked reports that their suit challenging the emergence and enthronement of Oba Gbolahan Lawal, as Oniru of Iruland had been withdrawn.

The royal family made the clarification in a statement signed by the head of the Omowumi-Abisogun family, Alhaji Suraju Durosinmi.

It was reported in some newspaper of Monday, February 7, 2022, that the family members had withdrawn the suit against Oba Lawal.

Durosinmi, while refuting the report stated: “There was never a time that Omowumi-Abisogun ruling house, thinks of withdrawing the suit against Lawal Gbolahan. We consequently dissociate the ruling house from such report.”

According to him Omowumi-Abisogun ruling house, one Monsur Babatunde-Dauda did not have the mandate of the family to act as a counsel representing the family.

“Our family is a law-abiding family, we believe in rule-of-law, and that is why we went to court to challenge the emergence of Gbolahan Lawal as Oniru of Iruland.

“I am the Head of Omowumi-Abisogun Ruling worldwide. We want to bring the attention of the general public to the news that we had instructed one Monsur Babatunde-Dauda, who claimed to be a lawyer representing us to withdraw the suit challenging Gbolahan Lawal as Oniru of Iruland. He did not have our instruction to withdraw the suit because he is not a lawyer representing us.

“He is not known to us and he is not representing us. He and others who met at Oniru palace are busy body interlopers, trying to deceive Gbolahan Lawal so that they will make some money from him.

“As an elder, I will only advise Gbolahan Lawal to follow the path of honour and vacate the sacred palace of Oniru because he is not a member of the Oniru family. He should also be mindful of charade with a mission to extort money from him,” he stated.

According to him, there was no division among the Omowumi-Abisogun ruling house insisting that the process of removing Oba Gbolahan Lawal through legal means WAs ongoing.

‘’Our choice lawyer is doing his work in court. We are not interested in mortgaging our tomorrow for a pot of porridge,” Durosinmi said.

He said the gathering at the palace of Oniru for reconciliation was a charade without the authority of the Family, insisting that the family has resolved to reclaim the Obaship title of Oniru through the judicial process.

According to him, the decision to challenge Oba Gbolahan was a joint decision taken by members of the family both at home and abroad after wide consultations, adding that, the decision cannot be reverted by some people who were not aware of how the process started.

“The family of Omowumi-Abisogun jointly took the decision to challenge the imposition of Gbolahan Lawal as Oniru of Iruland. That is the final position of the family. No hungry person can change that position. We are fully committed to reclaiming our family rights,” he said.

He said Babatunde-Dauda did not represent the family in any of their matters in court, and if he has the instruction of the family signed by the head of the family or his representative, he should lay it bare before the public.

“It is very said that someone who did not have the instruction of the family will now be parading himself as the family legal adviser. If he has any paper showing that he was properly briefed by the family he should show it to the public. If he has any court process indicating that his chambers were briefed, he should bring it to the public”, he said.