The legal tussle over the rightful occupant of the Osolo of Isolo throne continued on Friday at the Lagos State High Court, where Prince Jimmy Adetokunbo Yekini-Goloba sued the Lagos State government and others, challenging what he described as the unlawful installation of Prince Isa Abiodun Shekoni-Faronbi as the traditional ruler of Isolo.
In the suit No: LD/13362GCM/2025, Yekini-Goloba is seeking a court declaration affirming him as the rightful successor to the throne based on the rotational arrangement among the three ruling houses in Isolo and the decision of the Alagbeji Ruling House, which he claims is next in line to produce the monarch.
The defendants include Prince 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.
Represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Olarenwaju Fagbohun, the claimant, is asking the court to nullify the nomination, approval, and installation of Shekoni-Faronbi and to compel the state government to recognize and install him as the new Osolo.
At the trial stage on Friday, Counsel to the claimant, Prof Fagboun, called his first witness, Mr. Muniru Abiodun Hakeem to the witness stand.
Mr Hakeem, a former member of the Federal House of Representatives, representing Oshodi/ Isolo Federal Constituency told the Court that he is a Muslim and swore with the Holy Quran, promising to say the truth and nothing but the truth.
He told the court that he was appointed as the Chairman of the screening Committee set up by Alagbeji ruling house in Oshodi/Isolo to screen 16 princes that showed interest on the throne.
Mr. Hakeem said that there were three ruling houses in Oshodi/Isolo.
They are Alagbeji, Okota, and Adeola ruling Houses.
He said that it was the turn of Alagbeji ruling house to produce the next Osolo of Isolo after the demise of Oba Kabiru Agbabiaka, who died on April 10th 2024.
Alagbeji ruling house, he told the court, had four branches and that each of the branches nominated four members alongside their chairman, making a total of 20 people charged with the responsibility of screening the 16 princes.
The witness said that Jimmy Adetokunbo Yekini-Goloba, as well as the first defendant, were screened by the committee.
He told the court that the report of the screening committee was sent to the four kingmakers who eventually voted and approved Jimmy Adetokunbo Yekini-Goloba as the Osolo-elect.
Hakeem told the Court in his written deposition, which was adopted in court that out of the four kingmakers, two voted in favour of Yekini-Goloba, one for Prince Shekoni-Faronbi and one for Prince Saheed Ishola Aregbesola
He said the result of the kingmakers was sent to Oshodi/Isolo local government for ratification and onward forwarding of the name of Prince Yekini-Goloba to the Lagos State government only for Prince Shekoni-Faronbi to be installed as the new Osolo of Isolo.
Under cross examination by counsel to the defendants, Hakeem said he was not a member of the kingmakers but that the results of their voting outcome were known throughout the local government.
The matter was adjourned to the 19th and 23rd of January 2026 for the continuation of the trial.
Among the specific reliefs Yekini-Goloba is seeking are: “A declaration that the Alagbeji Ruling House is next in line to produce the new Osolo of Isolo pursuant to the Registered Declaration under the Chiefs Law (Cap 19) of the Revised Law of Western Nigeria, 1962, as adopted in Lagos.
“A declaration that the claimant, having been duly selected and nominated by the Alagbeji Ruling House and approved by the Kingmakers, is the rightful person to be appointed and installed as the new Osolo.
“An order restraining the state and local government authorities from recognizing Shekoni-Faronbi as monarch or disregarding the decision of the Alagbeji Ruling House.”
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