Oloja Of Lagos: Chieftaincy Crisis Deepens as Ruling House Rejects Jide Kosoko
The Lagos chieftaincy crisis deepens as the ruling house rejects Jide Kosoko, sparking fresh tension, legal questions, and renewed debate over royal succession in Lagos. A deepening Lagos chieftaincy crisis has thrown the historic Eko kingdom into uncertainty following the outright rejection of veteran actor Prince Babajide Kosoko, popularly known as Jide Kosoko, as the Oloja of Lagos elect.
The crisis escalated on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, when the Akinsanya Olojo Kosoko ruling house submitted an urgent petition to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu, calling for an immediate suspension of any move to install the actor. The family described his emergence as a calculated distortion of established tradition and a violation of existing chieftaincy laws guiding succession to the revered stool.
According to the petition, the ruling house insists that the announcement of Jide Kosoko contradicts the 1983 Registered Declaration, which they maintain remains the only legally binding document governing the Oloja of Lagos succession. They further argued that no court judgment has nullified this declaration, making any alternative process unlawful. The family warned that ignoring this framework could undermine both tradition and statutory authority within Lagos Island.
The dispute is rooted in the long vacancy of the Oloja stool following the death of Chief Adebola Idris Disu Ige in December 2017. While Jide Kosoko was recently presented as Oloja elect at the King Kosoko Palace in Ereko, the Akinsanya Olojo Kosoko family countered that they had already produced a legitimate candidate years earlier. They stated that Prince Abiola Olojo Kosoko was duly elected in December 2020 after a rigorous screening process overseen by a sixteen member committee constituted to resolve the succession question.
Members of the ruling house explained that the traditional rotational arrangement clearly favors their branch at this time. They alleged that Prince Abiola emerged after interviews and assessments involving four eligible aspirants and that his documents have remained with the state government awaiting ratification for over four years. The sudden emergence of another candidate, they claimed, represents a dangerous break from orderly succession and a deliberate attempt to sideline their turn.
In a statement signed by the family’s General Secretary, Prince Theophilus Olojo Kosoko, the ruling house accused unnamed powerful traditional figures of exerting pressure to alter the succession outcome. They alleged that the presentation of Jide Kosoko at the Elereko Palace on January 26, 2026, was designed to force the government into accepting a fait accompli, despite unresolved objections and pending documentation tied to the 2020 selection.
The family also raised concerns about the broader implications of the decision, warning that imposing a candidate from a different ruling house threatens cultural balance and risks creating lasting divisions within the Lagos Island community. They recalled a similar dispute in the past that ended in their favor through legal means, stressing that their present action is guided by respect for the law rather than confrontation.
As part of their appeal, the Akinsanya Olojo Kosoko ruling house urged Governor Sanwo Olu to review the entire process that produced Jide Kosoko as Oloja elect, convene all relevant stakeholders for transparent dialogue, and uphold the December 2020 election of Prince Abiola Olojo Kosoko. They argued that doing so would restore confidence in traditional institutions and prevent avoidable unrest.
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Jide Kosoko has yet to issue an official response to the petition. However, supporters within the wider King Kosoko royal lineage insist that his emergence followed long standing customs and was witnessed by senior family members. With the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, expected to play a key role in the final capping ceremony, attention is now firmly fixed on the Lagos State Government as the Lagos chieftaincy crisis continues to unfold.