Hearing is set to continue February 20th, in a suit instituted by Prince Jimmy Adetokunbo Yekini-Goloba, filed against Prince Isa Abiodun Shekoni-Faronbi, and six others, seeking to upturn the installation of Shekoni-Faronbi as the Osolo of Isolo.
This follows the dismissal of the Stay of proceedings application filed by Counsel to the 1st defendant, Mr Gbenga Ojo, before the court.
In the suit No: LD/13362GCM/2025, Yekini-Goloba is seeking the 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 Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, SAN, 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.
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.
Trial began on 28 November 2025 when the head of the Isolo kingmakers who was Subpoenaed to testify in Court, Chief Agbabiaka was called to testify as to the selection process to the Stool. He confirmed that there are 4 kingmakers and two of them voted for the Claimant 2, one kingmaker voted for the 1st Defendant and the last kingmaker voted for Prince Aregbesola and forwarded the result to the Oshodi-Isolo Local Government who then transmitted it to the Lagos State government for approval.
*The trial continued again on January 16th* when the Counsel to the claimant, Prof Fagbohun, SAN, 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 are 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.
However, the lawyer to the 1st defendant told the court that he had filed two different applications before the court.
The first application was filed on behalf of Isolo Local Council Development Area, LCDA, as well as its chairman who are wishing to be joined in the suit as the 7th and 8th defendants. This was brought in pursuant to order 15 rule 17 of the High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) rules 2019 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court.
The second, a motion on notice, was for an order of the court granting stay of further proceedings of the case pending the determination of the appeal filed against the ruling of the court delivered on the 3rd of November, 2025.
Justice Ezekiel Oluwole Ashade of the Lagos High Court, Sabo, Yaba, had on the 3rd of November 2025 dismissed the Notice of Preliminary objection filed by the 1st defendant, Prince Isa Abiodun Shekoni-Faronbi, seeking order of the court to strike out the suit because conditions precedent before filing the suit were not complied with by the claimant, Prince Jimmy Adetokunbo Yekini-Goloba.
However, not satisfied with the ruling, the 1st defendant, Shekoni-Faronbi, through his lawyer, filed a Notice of Appeal dated November 17th, 2025, against the ruling of the Court and a motion for stay of proceedings. The Honourable Court heard the application for stay of proceedings and dismissed it on 28th of November 2025.
Lawyer to the 1st defendant, Mr Gbenga Ojo *also filed another application for stay of proceedings dated 19 January 2026 and* told the court that all the grounds of appeal raised in the notice of appeal were substantial and arguable to warrant the grant of the stay of further proceedings pending the determination of the appeal.
Mr Ojo also told the court that Isolo LCDA and its chairman are interested parties in the case and should be joined as the 7th and 8th defendants in the case.
When the case came up Friday, February 6th, Justice Ashade indicated that he was willing to allow Isolo LCDA be joined as defendants in the case but ruled that the case filed at the Court of Appeal would not stop him from continuing to hear the case. He ruled that the second application failed and adjourned further hearing to February 20th, 2026.
