The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by Michael Onakoya against a ruling by the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, which upheld the judgment of a lower court that removed him as the king and Orijeru of Igbooye land, Epe.
In the case SC//CV//969/2024, Justice Adamu Jauro declared the appeal by Onakoya as incompetent because it was filed beyond the allowed timeframe.
The judgment included the following, “The court observed that the Notice of appeal on page 442 of the record was filed on June 29, 2020 against the decision delivered by the Court of Appeal Lagos Division on March 26, 2020 which was out of the time prescribed by Section 27 of the Supreme Court Act. Though learned Prof. Yusuf Ali (SAN) for 7th respondent has urged the court to hear the appeal, we do not deem it proper to hear an incompetent appeal.
“Consequent upon the foregoing the Notice of Appeal filed June 29, 2020 in Appeal No. SC/969/2020 is incompetent having been filed outside the time prescribed by the Section 27 of the Supreme Court Act and it is hereby struck out. Notice of appeal is hereby struck out.”
Previously, in March 2020, the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, affirmed the decision of a Lagos High Court in Igbosere that dethroned Michael Onakoya as the traditional ruler and Orijeru of Igbooye land, Epe.
Unhappy with this decision, the deposed king approached the Court of Appeal, seeking to overturn the judgment of the lower court issued on April 19, 2016, by Justice Iyabo Kasali.
However, the three-man panel of the appellate court, consisting of Justice Mohammad Lawal (presiding), Justice Ugochukwu Ogakwu, and Justice Jamilu Tukur, unanimously dismissed the appeal filed by the former king, ruling that his application lacked merit.
