Prince Yekini-Goloba Sues Lagos Govt, Seeks Declaration as legitimate Osolo of Isolo

Prince Yekini-Goloba Sues Lagos Govt, Seeks Declaration as legitimate Osolo of Isolo

A fresh legal battle over the rightful successor to the throne of the Osolo of Isolo has emerged at the Lagos State High Court, where Prince Jimmy Adetokunbo Yekini-Goloba has sued the Lagos State Government and several other parties, challenging what he describes as an unlawful installation of Prince Isa Abiodun Shekoni-Faronbi as the new traditional ruler of Isolo.

In the suit marked LD/13362/2005, Yekini-Goloba is asking the court to declare him as the lawful person entitled to ascend the throne, based on the rotational order among ruling houses in the Isolo Kingdom and the decision of the Alagbeji Ruling House, which he claims is next in line to produce the monarch.

Listed as defendants in the suit are Prince Isa Abiodun Shekoni-Faronbi, the Executive Governor of Lagos State, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Chieftaincy Committee of Oshodi-Isolo Local Government, and the Executive Chairman of Oshodi-Isolo Local Government.

Through his counsel, Prof. Olarenwaju Fagbohun (SAN), Yekini-Goloba is seeking a series of declaratory and injunctive reliefs, including an order nullifying the purported nomination, approval, and installation of Shekoni-Faronbi.

He also seeks an order directing the state government and its officials to recognize and install him as the new Osolo of Isolo.

According to court documents, Yekini-Goloba contends that the Alagbeji Ruling House, to which he belongs, is the rightful family to present a candidate following the death of the late Oba Kabiru Alani Adelaja Agbabiaka (Adeola Olushi III) in April 2024.

He claims to have secured majority support from the family and was duly selected by the Kingmakers through a transparent voting process after consultation with the Ifa oracle.

In his sworn statement, Yekini-Goloba narrates his lineage and connections to all three recognized ruling houses — Alagbeji, Okota, and Adeola — and insists that the appointment of Shekoni-Faronbi was done in defiance of tradition, and during the pendency of a related suit before the court.

He is asking the court to not only invalidate the rival candidate’s installation but to compel the withdrawal of all instruments of office, including the staff of office, from Shekoni-Faronbi. Additionally, he seeks N50 million as the cost of prosecuting the case.

Specifically the claimant is seeking the following reliefs against the Defendants jointly and severally as follows:

“ A DECLARATION that the Alagbeji Ruling House is the next Ruling House entitled to produce the new Osolo of Isolo in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government, Lagos State pursuant to the Registered Declaration made under Section 4 of the Chiefs law (Cap19) of the Revised Law of Western Nigeria, 1962 as Adopted by the Lagos State Government in the Lagos State (Applicable Laws) Edict, No.2 of 1968 of the Customary Law Regulating the selection to the stool of Osolo of Isolo Chieftaincy.

“ A DECLARATION that based on the decision and choice of the Alagbeji Ruling House forwarding the name of the Claimant to the 2nd to 8th Defendants, the Claimant is the person entitled to be Osolo of Isolo in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

“A DECLARATION that under the recognised custom and tradition of Isolo Kingdom in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government, Lagos State, the Claimant is the person lawfully and legally selected, recommended and nominated for appointment and Installation as the new Osolo of Isolo in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government, Lagos State, to the exclusion of the 1st Defendant.

Writ of Summon & Statement of Claim – Prince Jimmy Goloba.

“ A DECLARATION that the Claimant having been duly nominated as the new Osolo of Isolo Kingdom in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government, Lagos State by those entitled to do so under the Registered Declaration of Osolo of Osolo made under Section 4 of the Chiefs law (Cap19) of the Revised Law of Western Nigeria, 1962 adopted by the Lagos State Government in the Lagos State (Applicable Laws) Edict, No.2 of 1988 of the Customary Law Regulating the selection to the stool of Osolo of Isola Chieftaincy and the Customary Law of Isolo Kingdom, the Claimant, is entitled to be approved and installed as the new Osolo of Isolo Kingdom by the 2nd to 5th Defendants.

“ A DECLARATION that the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 8th Defendants cannot bye-pess, Ignore or reject the decision and choice of the Alagbeji Ruling House to appoint and install the 1st defendant as Osolo of lsolo Kingdom in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos State.”

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