Family Stands by Appointment of Jide Kosoko as Oloja of Lagos

The King Kosoko Royal Family has rejected as false and misleading a petition challenging the appointment of veteran actor Babajide “Jide” Kosoko as the Oloja of Lagos-elect, insisting the process followed tradition, family consensus and due procedure.

In a statement, the family said the petition submitted to the Lagos State Government by a faction of the Akinsanya Olojo-Kosoko ruling house does not represent the position of the King Kosoko Royal Family and should be ignored.

According to the family, there is no dispute over the Oloja stool. They explained that Jide Kosoko’s appointment was a lawful step taken to resolve a long-standing irregularity after Prince Abiola Olojo Kosoko, named Oloja-elect in 2020, was not installed as of 2026.

The statement said the decision to withdraw Abiola and appoint Jide Kosoko was reached collectively by the heads of the family branches after careful deliberation on the matter and its impact on the family’s unity and legacy. It also described the petition as “hypocritical and misleading,” noting that its alleged authors, Prince Surajudeen Abiodun Olojo-Kosoko and Prince Theophilus Olojo-Kosoko, were present at the meeting where the decision was unanimously taken.

The family disclosed that the meeting was held on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at the residence of the Olori Ebi General, Mutiat Ashabi Ali-Balogun, and was attended by key family stakeholders, including Prince Olojo Kosoko. Jide Kosoko was subsequently presented to the wider family at a general meeting at Iga Kosoko on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.

Responding to claims of external influence, the family dismissed suggestions that the Oba of Lagos played any role in the appointment, stressing that Oba Rilwanu Akiolu neither selected nor imposed the Oloja-elect on the family.

The King Kosoko Royal Family called on Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the public to disregard the petition, describing it as driven by personal grievances rather than tradition or law. While acknowledging the right of aggrieved parties to seek legal redress, the family maintained that its decisions remain final and binding.