Royal Family Seeks Sanwo-Olu’s Intervention In Obaship Tussle

The Dosunmu Onikoyi Royal Gamily has urged Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene in the crisis trailing the vacant stool of Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Imoba land in Lagos Island.

 Addressing journalists yesterday in Lagos, the spokesperson of the Dosunmu family, Hon Abayomi Mayegun, who commiserated with the immediate family of the late king, Oba lbikunle Fafunwa Onikoyi, sait it was their turn to present the next monarch of the kingdom.

 Mayegun dismissed insinuations of any royal tussle over who becomes the next monarch in Ikoyi Kingdom as a result documents by the Muti branch of Onikoyi Royal Family signed by Otunba Abdul Ganiu Kola Onikoyi where he said the ruling families in the kingdom were 10 not two.

 He said, ‘’There is a need to put the records straight to avoid misinformation and perpetration of falsehood. The truth which has been affirmed and reaffirmed historically and legally is that the Onikoyi Royal Family consists of two ruling houses: namely Muti and Dosunmu Ruling Houses. This assertion was affirmed by the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the case of Agbetoba & Ords Vs. Lagos State Executive Council &Ords reported in 1991 4 NWLR part 188.

 ‘’Further, in 2004, the Standing Tribunal of Inquiry into Chieftaincy Matters in Lagos State chaired by Justice A.O. Silva after exhaustive deliberations and various submissions by legal representatives of both Muti and Dosunmu Ruling Houses , including the late Chief Patrick Ibikunle Fafunwa, as he then was; found and recommended to the Lagos State government that the Onikoyi Chieftaincy is deserving and be elevated to Obaship.’’

 He said it was  recommended by Justice A.O. Silva Tribunal of Inquiry that “Chief Patrick Ibikunle being the incumbent Chief Onikoyi of Lagos be crowned as the first Oba Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Imoba and that it shall be the turn of Dosunmu Ruling House to ascend the Obaship stool after the tenure of Oba Ibikunle Fafunwa.’’

 Mayegun added that the above recommendations of the tribunal  was accepted and implemented by the Lagos State government.