A Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo Area of Abeokuta, Ogun State has issued a binding order on the monarch of Orile Ilawo community in the Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Alex MacGregor, to refrain from any act that may cause disruption of peace in the community.
The jugdgement came following a Motion Ex-parte sought by some chiefs of the community seeking an order of the court to restrain the monarch from breaching peace within the local communities of Ilawo.
The Chiefs namely; Femi Adebayo, Banji Olaogun, Rilwan Abudu, Ezekiel Sowunmi, Felicia Famuyiwa and one Taiwo Adewuyi, told the court that the monarch allegedly set up a task force committee, armed the committee with weapons to cause mayhem on the community.
The motion read in part, “An Order for leave of this Honorable Court to apply for an order of court asking the Defendant/Respondent in this action to enter into recognizance with sureties for his good behaviour and keeping the peace within the local limits of the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court for a period of three (3) years, or as the Honorable Court may deem fit.
“An Interim Order restraining the Defendant/Respondent from breaching the peace within the local limits of the jurisdiction of this Honorable court pending the filing, hearing and final determination of the Motion on Notice which shall be promptly filed pursuant to the leave of this Honorable court.”
In his counter affidavit, MacGregor insisted that the allegations made against him were untrue, as members of the taskfforce team he set up never caused any attack on any member of the community.
He argued that he has never violated the rights and peaceful association of the people of Ilawo community.
Delivering the judgement, Chief Magistrate E. O. Idowu said the binding over of the monarch is important for peace to reign.
She added that the ruling implied that the monarch is restricted from taking “any action” that could threaten the peace of the community for the next three years.
She granted the order to refrain the respondent, MacGregor “for next three years, from any conduct, imposing the order, so that it is sure that a breach of the peace involving violence or an imminent threat of violence will not occur and the real risk of violence is prevented in the future.
“This court therefore having carefully considered the affidavits deposed to by Chief Femi Adebayo for the Applicants and the exhibits attached thereto and the counter affidavit deposed to by Respondent himself finds that the motion on notice dated and filed 8” November, 2023 on bound to succeed as the Court is duty bond to ensure that peace is maintained in the society.
“It is therefore ordered that Olusegun Alexander Macgregor is bound over with two sureties in the sum of N500,000 each who are to enter recognizance and ensure that the Respondent keeps the peace within llawo Community for the next three year. No order is made as to costs.
“By this ruling, no order is made conferring or denying any parties chieftaincy and any dispute thereto are to be taken before the appropriate authority,” Idowu said.
Reacting to the ruling, the Akogun of Ilawo, Chief Lawrence Ogunsanya, described it as a positive development, saying it would further reinforce public confidence in the judicial system.
He added, “Binding over of Macgregor to keep the peace and be of good behavior is appropriate especially given the excesses of this person in question.
“How can you occupy such an exalted stool, even though it is temporary as the courts are yet to decide on that since there are pending litigation and yet set a group of people, non Indigines in particular against Indigines of the community, harassing Ilawo clan members and local dwellers with frivolous petitions. The excesses are just too much.”
