A Lagos State High Court has intervened in a simmering royal dispute, issuing an order for all parties to maintain the status quo over the proposed installation of a new Onisemo of Lagos. The order effectively puts on hold any move to install Lookman Oluwa, also known as Lookman Noah Fagbayi, pending the hearing and determination of a suit challenging his selection.
Court Proceedings and Key Arguments
The order was delivered by Justice N.O. Ojuromi following an ex-parte application filed by members of the Onisemo Chieftaincy Family. The claimants—Olabiyi Kosoko, Mrs Hawawu Abiodun Teluwo, and Mr Olusegun Gbolade—are contesting the process that led to Oluwa's selection. They argued that the eighth defendant, Lookman Oluwa, is not a legitimate member of the chieftaincy family.
During the hearing, the claimants' counsel, Martins Ogunleye, informed the court that while the first to sixth defendants had been served, the seventh and eighth defendants were yet to be served. The application, supported by a 22-paragraph affidavit and eight exhibits, sought an interim injunction to restrain the Oba of Lagos and his agents from installing Oluwa.
Justice Ojuromi, in her ruling, emphasized that interim injunctions are preservatory. She subsequently ordered all parties to maintain the status quo and adjourned the case to January 9, 2026, for a report on service completion to the remaining defendants, promising an expedited hearing thereafter.
The Heart of the Chieftaincy Dispute
In a sworn affidavit, Princess Olabiyi Kosoko, the first claimant and Secretary of the Oshokeji Ruling House, laid out the family's grievances. She stated that the suit was necessary to challenge the "purported selection" of Lookman Oluwa. According to her, the Oshokeji Ruling House is the only house entitled to produce the next Onisemo following the death of the last title holder, Chief Lekan Adamson, in 2019.
Kosoko asserted that the family had duly selected the third claimant, Olusegun Gbolade, as the Onisemo-elect. She alleged that in May 2025, Lookman Oluwa invaded the Onisemo Palace on Enu-Owa Street, Lagos Island, to lay claim to the stool. The family reportedly petitioned authorities, including Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu I, but claimed their petitions were ignored.
A particularly shocking allegation was the emergence of a letter from the state's Attorney-General which allegedly conveyed approval and gazetting of Oluwa's selection. Kosoko noted this approval was signed on July 31, 2025, but was backdated to April 2025, despite ongoing court proceedings.
Potential for Unrest and Legal Undertakings
The princess warned that the defendants' actions risked causing significant unrest within the family and the broader community. She stressed that the Onisemo stool is a revered traditional institution whose desecration could not be remedied by monetary compensation.
To strengthen their application, the claimants undertook to indemnify the defendants in damages should the court later find the injunction was wrongly sought. They argued that Oluwa would suffer no loss if restrained, as he had not been formally installed.
The list of defendants in the suit is extensive, highlighting the high-level involvement in the matter. They are: Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu (1st), the State Attorney-General (2nd), Oba Rilwan Akiolu I (3rd), the Executive Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government (4th), the Secretary of the Chieftaincy Committee (5th), the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs (6th), Sodiq Abosupala (7th), and Lookman Oluwa (8th).
All eyes are now on the January 2026 court date, where the report of service will be heard, potentially setting the stage for a full legal battle over this significant Lagos chieftaincy title.
