In a statement obtained by Saturday Beats, the family insisted that the selection of Babajide Kosoko followed due process, received consensus from all family branches, and adhered to long-standing tradition. According to the family, the petition, submitted to the Lagos State Government by a faction of the Akinsanya Olojo-Kosoko ruling house, misrepresented the official position of the King Kosoko Royal Family and should therefore be disregarded.
“There is no crisis surrounding the Oloja stool. The decision to appoint Prince Babajide Kosoko was a lawful and necessary correction of a prolonged anomaly following the non-installation of Prince Abiola Olojo Kosoko, who had been appointed Oloja-elect in 2020 but was not installed as of 2026,” the statement read.
The family explained that the decision to withdraw Prince Abiola and appoint Prince Babajide was reached collectively by the heads of family branches after careful deliberation, taking into account the implications for the family’s integrity and legacy. The statement described as “hypocritical and misleading” the actions of Prince Surajudeen Abiodun Olojo-Kosoko and Prince Theophilus Olojo-Kosoko, alleged authors of the petition, noting that both attended the family meeting where the appointment was decided.
The meeting reportedly took place on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at the residence of the Olori Ebi General, Mutiat Ashabi Ali-Balogun, and was attended by principal family stakeholders, including Prince Babajide Kosoko. At the gathering, it was unanimously resolved that he would be appointed Oloja of Lagos-elect and subsequently presented to the wider family. The formal presentation to members of the King Kosoko Royal Family occurred at Iga Kosoko on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
Addressing rumors that the Oba of Lagos influenced the appointment, the family dismissed such claims as disingenuous. “The Oba has nothing to do with the appointment, nor did he impose him on the family. The decision is solely the responsibility of the family,” the statement emphasised.
The family urged Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the general public to ignore the petition, asserting that it arose from personal disputes rather than legitimate traditional or legal concerns. While affirming that aggrieved parties remain free to seek redress through the proper legal channels, the statement stressed that the authority and decisions of the King Kosoko Royal Family remain final and non-negotiable.