An Appeal Court sitting in Ilorin on Wednesday commenced hearing in an appeal filed by the Olugbense Ruling House of Offa, Kwara State, against an Ilorin High Court rulings which upheld the appointment and installation of Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi, of the Anilelerin Ruling House, as the Olofa of Offa in Offa Local Area of Kwara State.

The appeal hearing is presided over by Justice Hussein Muhktar.

The Ilorin High Court had in July 2012 dismissed a suit filed by the Magaji of the Olugbense Ruling House, Alhaji Sheu Oyeniyi, praying the court to invalidate and nullify the appointment and installation of Gbadamosi.

But dissatisfied with the trial court’s ruling which upheld the installation of Gbadamosi as the Olofa, the appellant, through his counsel, John Baiyeshea (SAN), prayed the court to set aside the judgment of the High Court.

He prayed the Appeal Court to give judgment in favour of the appellants accordingly and order that Abdulrauf Keji of the Olugbense Ruling House, be installed by the state government as the Olofa of Offa.

He also prayed the court to issue an order of perpetual injunction to restrain Gbadamosi from further parading himself as the Olofa of Offa.

Oyeniyi said, “The trial judge wrongly rejected Exhibit ‘G’ in evidence. It is the original copy of the Kwara State Government press statement of 1969 informing the general public and the whole world that the chieftaincy crisis in Offa was resolved by the government which recognised two ruling houses in Offa.

“These are Olugbense and the Anilelerin ruling houses and also established rotational chieftaincy in Offa between the two ruling houses. A combination of credible, cogent, concrete and strong oral and documentary evidence and exhibits presented by the claimants/appellants are strong enough to be relied upon to give judgment in favour of the claimants.

“The purported appointment of Gbadamosi is liable to be nullified and the 2nd claimant/appellant, Prince Abdulrauf Adegboyega Keji, is entitled to be declared and installed as the Olofa of Offa.”

But the lead counsel for the respondents, Rafiu Lawal-Rabana (SAN), and Mr. Kamaldeen Ajibade, prayed the court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the decision of the lower court.