Olofa stool: Olugbense Ruling House fumes over S’ Court judgement

Members of Olugbense ruling house in Offa, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, last weekend protested against Supreme Court judgment on the Olofa of Offa stool.

The Supreme Court had on July 1st, delivered a judgment affirming Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi of the Anilelerin ruling house as the substantive monarch of the ancient community.

The aggrieved ruling house members, who assembled at the Olofa Gangan palace, alleged that the judgment of Supreme Court was a negation of justice for the common man.

Some of the protesters clutched placards that read: “‘God Judgment is coming soon,’ ‘Kwara state government should revisit this injustice,’ ‘Olofa case has exposed corruption practices in Judiciary,’ ‘stop selling our pride,’ ‘no Justice, no peace,’ ‘ODU has failed us,’ ‘save the oppressed Mr. President.”

The protesters also chanted anti-Supreme Court songs, stressing that the judgment empowered female lineage over male lineage.

Speaking with reporters, a Prince to the throne of Olugbense, Alhaji AbdulRauf Adegboyega Keji, rejected the Supreme Court Judgment which recognised female lineage in the ancient city over male children.

He alleged that the judgement was targeted to re-write history of Offa and denied the right owners to the stool of their fathers.

Prince Keji said there can’t be Offa without mentioning the name of Olofa Gangan which established Offa town and who was their father, stressing that they would continue their fight to ensure Justice prevails.

He said: “It’s not that we are fighting them or at war with anybody. But we are after justice. Nobody can phase out from our stool. They can’t. It is our father that founded this town over 600 years ago and they can’t re-write history by making female children superior than male children.

“We thought the Supreme Court would do justice and save the oppressed but the case is different. We instituted the case and they threw it back at us. The judgment contradict true history and position of All Progressives Congress (APC) which provides justice for the oppressed one.”

He urged Attorney General of Federal and Minister of Justice to consider the plight of Olugbense family in Offa saying” federal government should not allow the oppressed to suffer forever.”

Another elder and spokesperson of the Olugbense ruling, Prince Saka Adebayo Keji also insisted that the Olugbese ruling family would continue to fight for their rightful position.

Keji noted that their founding father, Oloffa Gangan started Offa town and the Olugbense ruling house had ruled for 420 years, adding that Offa town has been in existence for over 600 years.

He described Supreme Court Judgment of July 1, 2016 which threw away Kwara State government gazette which recognised two ruling houses in Offa town as miscarriage of Justice.

The family, he said would continue to fight for their right peacefully by utilising all legitimate options.