The Osolo of Ado-Odo, Muftau Dosunmu, has been sentenced to six months in prison for presenting himself as an Oba.
The order was given by a Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Recall that the past administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun upgraded the Osolo title and 74 others in the state from a high chief to a coronet Oba.
However, the present administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun reversed the decision of his predecessor, ordering the monarchs to stop parading themselves as traditional rulers even after they claimed they had secured a high court judgement against the state.
The state dragged the embattled monarch to court for parading himself as an Oba, donning regalia and a beaded crown, despite lacking the rightful title, thereby violating Section 23(2)(c) of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State.
He was also accused of contravening Section 249(1)(d) of the Criminal Code Law by installing one Alabi Afizu as Babaloja of Ado-Odo in March 2022.
Dosunmu was additionally charged for instructing a town crier to announce movement restrictions due to spiritual rites between April 2022 and August 2022, leading to charges under Section 249(1)(d) and 200 of the Criminal Code Law.
Another count stated that Dosunmu identified himself as the Olofin of Ado-Odo and paraded himself as the Osolo of Ado-Odo, a kingmaker, between April 2022 and July 2023.
The prosecution counsel, Adebayo Adesanya, had informed the court that his actions were punishable offences under Section 249(1)(d) and punishable under Section 249(3) of the Criminal Code Law.
Dosunmu was also charged for parading himself as a kingmaker without the traditional council’s approval, a violation of Section 41 of the Chief’s Law of Ogun State, 2021, punishable under Section 41(6) of the Obas and Chiefs Law.
In her ruling, Chief Magistrate E. O. Idowu declared that Dosunmu was found guilty of six counts and sentenced him to six months imprisonment.
“The convict is sentenced to one-month imprisonment on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th counts of the charge, with an option of a fine of N50,000 on each count for which he has been convicted. The sentences shall run consecutively from today, 28th November 2023,” the court ruled.