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 WHY BAYO OLASOJU SOUGHT TO BE JOINED AS DEFENDANT IN OSOLO SUIT

. As Judge Adjourns Case Till 6th Feb

The Executive Chairman of Isolo Local Council Development Authority (LCDA) Otunba Adebayo Olasoju has applied to be joined as a necessary and desirable party in the ongoing Osolo of Isolo court case instituted by Prince Jimmy Adetokunbo Goloba challenging the installation of Oba Isa Abiodun Faronbi-Shekoni as the Osolo of Isolo.

Olasoju's application and that of Isolo LCDA  to be joined as the 7th and 8th defendants in the case was submitted yesterday by the leading counsel to Oba Shekoni, Prof. Gbenga Ojo at the resumed hearing of the case holding at the Lagos High Court, Sabo, Yaba.

In his Motion on Notice 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, Olasoju is seeking an order of the court joining or adding him to the suit as the 7th and 8th defendants.

He is also seeking an order of the court directing the claimant (Prince Jimmy Goloba) to amend the writ of summons and statement of claim with other front loading processes to reflect the name of the 7th defendants (Bayo Olasoju). And for such Order or further other Orders as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.

Stating the grounds for seeking to be joined in the suit, Olasoju stated as follows:

I) The throne and succession to the vacant throne of Osolo of Isolo is under the jurisdiction of the Applicant (Bayo Olasoju) seeking to be joined.

ii) The 4th Defendant (Commissioner for Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs) directed the Applicant (Olasoju) to issue Public Notice announcing the death of the the immediate past Osolo of Isolo to the members of the public and also inform the Alagbeji Ruling House to nominate a candidate for the vacant Osolo of Isolo throne.

III) In compliance with the directive, the Applicant (Olasoju) informed the Alagbeji Ruling House to nominate a candidate for the vacant Osolo of Isolo throne.

iv) After nomination, the matter was refered to the kingmakers to select the suitable candidate (Omo Oye) for the vacant throne.

v) When the kingmakers could not do so within time frame, the kingmakers wrote to the Applicant (Olasoju) for extension of time, which the Applicant (Olasoju) granted.

vi) The kingmakers have always been interacting with the Applicant (Olasoju) whenever it becomes necessary.

vii) The 4th Defendant (Commissioner for Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs), who ought to be neutral, intruded into the affairs of the kingmakers and directed the kingmakers to submit their report to the Oshodi/Isolo Local Government, which is not a party in this case.

viii) This caused disagreement as one of the kingmakers submitted his minority report to the 6th Defendant (Oshodi/Isolo Local Government) while the remaining kingmakers submitted their report to the Applicant (Olasoju) and authorized one of the kingmakers to submit the report to the Applicant (Olasoju), which was done by a letter dated 19th September, 2024.

ix) On receipt of the report, the Applicant (Olasoju) forwarded the three names to the 2nd Defendant (Executive Governor of Lagos State) to use his discretion to pick one of the candidates by a letter dated 30th October 2024.

x) The 2nd Defendant (Executive Governor of Lagos State) picked the 2nd Defendant (Prince  Shekoni) and via a letter dated 27th March, 2025, the 4th Defendant (Commissioner for Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs) directed the Applicant (Olasoju) to convey the approval of the appointment to the 1st Defendant (Prince Shekoni).

xi) By a letter of the same date, the 7th Defendant (Olasoju) conveyed the approval to the 1st Defendant (Prince Shekoni).

xii) The Lagos State Government gave an instrument of office dated 28th March, 2025 to the 1st Defendant (Prince Shekoni).

xiii) Subsequently, the 1st Defendant (Prince Shekoni) was installed as the new Osolo of Isolo.

xiv) All kingmakers without any exception capped the 1st Defendant (Prince Shekoni) as the Osolo of Isolo 

xv) The Applicant (Olasoju) played vital role in the appointment of the 1st Defendant (Prince Shekoni).

xvi) The Applicant (Olasoju) is a desirable and necessary party in this case on the succession to the vacant throne of Osolo of Isolo.

The council boss, therefore, avers that his application to be joined as a defendant and subsequent testimony in this case is in the interest of fair hearing.

He is hoping to back his testimony with evidences which include a Public Notice dated 22nd July 2024 announcing the vacancy of the Osolo throne;  letter of invitation by the commissioner dated 15th July, 2024; the report of the kingmakers dated 19th September, 2024 to the Executive Chairman of Isolo LCDA and the letter of the Executive Chairman of Isolo LCDA to the Executive Governor of Lagos State forwarding the report of the kingmakers.

Olasoju also hopes to present more evidences to prove the installation of Prince Shekoni as Osolo of Isolo followed due process as contained in the Obas and Chiefs Law of Lagos State as amended. These include Commissioner's letter directing the Chairman of Isolo LCDA to convey the approval of the appointment of Prince Isa Abiodun Faronbi-Shekoni as new Osolo of Isolo; Chairman of Isolo LCDA's letter conveying the approval of the appointment of Prince Shekoni; the Lagos State Government Instrument of Office of Prince Shekoni as new Osolo of Isolo as well as photographs of the installation of Prince Shekoni as the new Osolo of Isolo by all the kingmakers.

Following the receipts of the application by both the claimant and defence counsels, the preside judge, Justice E.O. Ashade adjourned hearing on the motion on notice till 6th February 2026.