In a dramatic twist to a long-standing traditional leadership tussle, Prince Adedayo Osinuga, a direct descendant of the royal Osinuga family of Isolo, has filed a lawsuit against the Lagos State Government over what he claims is an “unlawful imposition” of an unqualified candidate on the Osolo of Isolo royal stool.
The case, filed at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, seeks to nullify the government’s recognition of Oba Kolawole Ajayi as the Osolo of Isolo, alleging that the process was marred by political interference, lack of proper consultation with the ruling houses, and disregard for due process.
In the filed suit, Prince Osinuga contends that the Osolo chieftaincy title, which became vacant after the death of Oba AbduLateef Olushola in 2022, was supposed to rotate between the two royal families of Isolo: the Osinuga family and the Ajayi family. According to the prince, the last monarch hailed from the Ajayi line, and tradition mandates the next in line should be from the Osinuga family.
“The government not only breached our tradition but also ignored the judicial process,” Osinuga’s lawyer, Barrister Tayo Balogun, told reporters outside the court. “We had a pending petition before the Chieftaincy Affairs Tribunal when the installation was hastily carried out.”
The suit also seeks a court order to reverse the official recognition and certificate of office granted to Oba Kolawole Ajayi and a declaration that any action taken in the name of the Osolo throne since his installation is null and void.
In response, the Lagos State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs has defended its actions, claiming that all customary procedures were duly followed and that the new monarch was selected in line with “prevailing customary law and the recommendation of the Isolo kingmakers.”
A senior official, speaking under anonymity, suggested the prince’s lawsuit may be politically motivated: “There are always factions in royal houses. The government cannot wait indefinitely when the community needs leadership and stability.”
The legal action has deepened divisions within the Isolo community. While some elders and youth groups have rallied behind Oba Kolawole, citing his grassroots development efforts, others, particularly those from the Osinuga lineage, have staged protests, accusing the state of “installing a puppet.”
One elder, Chief Akinwale Odugbemi, told The Guardian Nigeria, “Tradition is not politics. If you break the rules of succession today, tomorrow there will be no peace.”
The court has scheduled a preliminary hearing for July 29, and both sides are expected to submit additional documents, including genealogical records, minutes from kingmakers’ meetings, and transcripts from the tribunal hearing.
Legal analysts suggest the case could set a major precedent for chieftaincy disputes in Lagos State, particularly in the wake of growing urban influence on traditional institutions.
In the meantime, the Isolo community waits in uncertainty—its traditional throne occupied, but now under legal siege. Whether tradition or political expediency will triumph remains to be seen.
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