A Kogi State High Court, sitting in Lokoja, on Monday, dethroned the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Tijani Ahmed-Qnaje, affirming that the manner of his ascension to the throne was irregular and didn’t confirm to extant laws of the land.
Alhaji Ahmed-Onaje’s ouster came a little over a year after he was appointed the fifth Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.by the then Governor, Yahaya Bello, himself an indigene of Okene in Kogi Central Senatorial District.
Delivering judgement in a suit filed by three people-Daudu Adeku-Ojiah, Hussain Yusuf and Abdulrahaam Suberu, Justice Umar Salisu sacked the foremost traditional ruler, ordering him to stop parading himself as the Ohinoyi, the paramount ruler of Ebiraland.
The three persons had approached the court in December 2024, challenging the appointment challenged of Alhaji Ahmed-Anaje by former governor Yahaya Bello as the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.
Represented by their lawyer, Mr Lawal Rabana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN), had sued Yahaya Bello’s successor, Gov. Ahmed Ododo, the State Attorney General, Muzi Abdullahi, and the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Ahmed-Anaje, as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants in the case which began in Okene before being transferred to Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.
Specifically, the three plaintiffs had prayed the court to make a declaration that the procedure adopted in appointing the 3rd Defendant to the throne of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland was wrong and unlawful.
They also argued that the process was contrary to the Procedure of Ascension to the Throne of Ohinoyi of Ebira Land, Edict No 3 of 1997guiding the appointment of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.
They also sought for a DECLARATION that the purported recommendation of the 3rd Defendant by unknown kingmakers to the 1st Defendant as the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland was contrary to the clear provisions of Section 4(1) Chiefs (Appointment, Deposition and Establishment of Traditional Councils in Kogi State) Law, 2006 and, therefore, null, void and of no effect whatsoever.
“A DECLARATION that the purported Ohi’s who participated in the selection, recommendation and the process leading to the purported appointment of the 3rd Defendant as Ohinoyi of Ebiraland are non-existent, null and void.
They sought an order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the 1st and 2nd Defendant, by himself, agents, servants, privies or whosoever called from recognising, dealing with or according any rights or privileges to the 3rd Defendant as Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.
Gov. Ahmed Ododo, Abdullahi and Ahmed-Anaje, had objected the claims of the plaintiff, through their Counsels, Muzi Abdullahi and Zakari Abbas, had asked the court to dismissed the case for lack of merit.
The court rejected their prayer on Monday and ordered the sack of the 5th Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, a little over a year after his inauguration.
However, the court has yet to release details of the judgement as at press time.
