* Decry successive Govt’s refusal to comply with court ruling
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The people of Jebba community in Moro local government area of Kwara state have cried foul over the non-payment of the salary and emoluments of their traditional ruler, Oba AbdulKadir Alabi Adebara, by successive governments since the monarch ascended the throne of his forefathers in 2003 despite a subsisting court judgment directing the state government to pay same to the 3rd Class Royal Father.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday in the ancient Yoruba town, spokesman for Jebba community, High Chief AbdulGaniyu Jaiyeola Omotosho, has, therefore, made a passionate appeal to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to direct immediate payment of the 21 years unpaid salary and personal emoluments to their monarch.
The community also demanded the upgrading of the stool of their monarch from the current Third Class Status to First Class as was the case of his other colleagues in parts of the state.
The spokesman reiterated that a Kwara state High Court sitting in Ilorin on January 29, 2014 upheld Oba Adebara’s appointment and grading as 3rd class monarch, which the Court described as legal, valid and subsisting, adding that though the case was eventually appealed, by the government the Appellate Court eventually struck it out for lack of diligent prosecution and for being statute barred.
“Ever since the judgment, several letters had been written to both past and present government for the implementation of the court judgment, starting with the payment of all withheld salaries, allowances and other personal emoluments, all to no avail.
“The last straw that broke the camel’s back is the Oba of Jebba’s letter of appeal to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq dated August 31st, 2023 requesting for the payment of his personal emoluments and the implementation of the court judgment.
“We have strong reasons to believe that some officials of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs working in cohorts with one or two traditional rulers are out to frustrate the payment of the accumulated salaries and allowances of our monarch.
“These traditional rulers have vowed that as long as they live, the Oba of Jebba shall not earn any salary. That, perhaps, is their second worse option having failed to dethrone the Oba through malicious criminal charges.
“We, therefore, request Governor AbdulRazaq to direct his searchlight on the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs over alleged removal from circulation the relevant subject file on Oba of Jebba’s request.”
He called on the state Governor to “immediately constitute a separate Traditional Council for Moro Local Government and an immediate upgrading of the stool of Oba of Jebba to First Class status in line with his contemporaries of 1983.
“It is our prayer that Kwara will continue to progress in peace and unity where no one will be oppressed,” he added.
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