‎Royal Tension in Lagos as Olojo-Kosoko Family Challenges Oloja Appointment

‎Royal Tension in Lagos as Olojo-Kosoko Family Challenges Oloja Appointment
‎Seeks Governor Sanwo-olu intervention
‎It accuse the Oba of abandoning his role as a consenting authority while attempting to impose a preferred candidate

‎A new succession dispute has broken out in Lagos over the Oloja of Lagos stool, as the Akinsanya Olojo-Kosoko ruling house accused the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, of unlawfully imposing a candidate in breach of tradition and state law.

‎Eko Hot Blog gathered that in a petition submitted to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the ruling house rejected the announcement of Prince Babajide Kosoko of the Oteniya Ruling House as the new Oloja of Lagos.

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The family described the move as a clear violation of the Lagos State Obas and Chiefs Law and the Registered 1983 Declaration governing succession to the stool.

‎In a statement jointly signed by the family head, Prince Surajudeen Abiodun Olojo-Kosoko, and the General Secretary, Prince Theophilus Olojo-Kosoko, the ruling house insisted that Prince Abiola Olojo-Kosoko of the Akinsanya Olojo ruling house remains the legitimately elected Oloja-Elect.

‎According to the family, Prince Abiola was duly elected by the kingmakers of the King Kosoko Royal Family on December 12, 2020, in a process it said fully complied with customary and legal requirements. His emergence was formally presented to the broader royal family at King Kosoko’s Palace on December 31, 2020, and later forwarded to the Lagos State Government for ratification.

‎Royal Tension in Lagos as Olojo-Kosoko Family Challenges Oloja Appointment

‎The ruling house alleged that the announcement of Prince Babajide Kosoko on January 24, 2026, and his subsequent presentation at the Elereko’s palace, were carried out under pressure from Oba Akiolu. It accused the Oba of abandoning his role as a consenting authority while attempting to impose a preferred candidate.

‎Describing the development as provocative and destabilising, the family warned that the situation mirrors a previous succession crisis that was later overturned by the courts. It recalled that following that ruling, the Akinsanya Olojo ruling house became next in line and was officially invited by the state, via a letter dated September 19, 2019, to present a candidate leading to the selection of Prince Abiola Olojo-Kosoko.

‎The ruling house appealed to Governor Sanwo-Olu to urgently intervene, cautioning that failure to do so could deepen divisions within the royal family and undermine confidence in traditional institutions. It urged the governor to review the appointment of Prince Babajide Kosoko, convene all stakeholders, and ratify the December 2020 election of Prince Abiola Olojo-Kosoko.

‎The family said it would continue to pursue lawful and peaceful means to resist what it described as an illegal imposition, stressing that adherence to law and tradition is essential to the legitimacy of the next Oloja of Lagos.