Five years after his dethronement as the Deji of Akure by the Ondo State government, Adesina Adepoju yesterday appeared at the Akure High Court.
The public appearance followed a suit he instituted against the Deji of Akure and the government.
Members of the Osupa ruling house were in court in solidarity with Adepoju.
There was tension in Akure that the deposed Deji was quizzed by detectives from the state police command after leaving the court.
The deposed monarch had instituted a case challenging his dethronement by the government and the installation of Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo as the Deji of Akure.
Adepoju claimed that he was wrongly deposed by the government and sought for an order of court declaring him as the Deji of Akure.
He was dethroned on June 10, 2010 for allegedly assaulting one of his wives, the late Mrs. Bolanle Adepoju, in public.
The deposed monarch was consequently banished to a location within the state before he left for the United Kingdom (UK).
His removal paved the way for the installation of the late Oba Adebiyi Adesida in 2010 as the 46th Deji of Akure. His daughter was installed regent after his death.
Adepoju’s counsel Olalekan Ojo told the court that the monarch has the right to the throne and wondered why a new monarch was installed.
The Chief Judge, Justice Olaseinde Kumuyi, adjourned hearing till December 8.
Adepoju, who left the court in a convoy, danced to his family compound on Odo Ijoka Street, where he addressed his loyalists, who were mainly family members.
Police spokesman Femi Joseph denied Adepoju’s rumoured arrest, saying “the man has not committed any offence to warrant his arrest by the police”.
He said the presence of police officers on the streets, especially around the residence of the deposed monarch, was to ensure security of lives and property.
“The police have the right to prevent hoodlums from hijacking the situation,” Joseph said.
The nation