Follow Us on Google
By Faheem Lawal
A Lagos-based law firm, Law Pharm LP, has petitioned Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, urging him to suspend the administrative process leading to the appointment and installation of Prince Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu as the Onise of Ise Kingdom, citing pending litigation before the Lagos State High Court.
In a petition dated August 3, 2026, and signed by Adekunle Biobaku, Esq., the solicitors, acting for the claimants in Suit No. EPD/15252GCMW/2026 between Alhaji Prince R.O. Ogunbajo Adegoroye, Prince Adefowope Adenupebi Adegoroye, Prince Adelaja Adeyinka Salisu Adegoroye and others versus the Governor of Lagos State, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, and four others, warned that allowing the appointment process to proceed before the court determines the dispute could undermine the rule of law and heighten tension in Ise Kingdom.
The petition, which was also copied to the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, urged the state government to preserve the status quo until the courts pronounce on the legality of the competing claims to the traditional stool.
“Our clients have directed us to respectfully bring to Your Excellency’s attention a development which, if not urgently addressed, is capable of undermining the administration of justice, eroding public confidence in the rule of law and creating avoidable tension in Ise Kingdom,” the petition stated.
According to the solicitors, the dispute over the vacant Onise stool is already the subject of two separate suits before the Lagos State High Court. The first is Suit No. ID/107169CM/2026 between Prince Taibu Adewale Ogunbanjo and another against the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, and four others, while the second is Suit No. EPD/15252GCMW/2026 filed by their clients.
The lawyers explained that their clients’ case first came up before the High Court sitting in Epe on June 29, 2026, but was adjourned until October 29 after the court did not sit.
They further disclosed that they had earlier written to the Attorney-General and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, on July 24, 2026, notifying them of the pending litigation and reminding the government of its obligation to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the suits.
According to the petition, the Lekki Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the authority overseeing the appointment process, had informed the Lagos State Government that multiple nominations had emerged from the Okunoye Ruling House and that issues relating to the nomination of Prince Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu, as well as the applicable chieftaincy declaration, were already before the court.
The solicitors said the council consequently informed the government that it could not proceed with the appointment process until the pending cases had been determined.
They also stated that the LCDA convened a stakeholders’ meeting involving the contending families, during which participants were cautioned against taking any action capable of prejudicing the ongoing judicial proceedings.
However, the lawyers expressed concern that despite these developments, the Lagos State Ministry of Justice allegedly advised the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development to continue with the administrative process for Prince Saliu’s approval and appointment.
Other News
“It is therefore with profound disappointment that our clients learnt that notwithstanding these developments, the Ministry of Justice issued legal advice directing the Ministry to proceed with the administrative process leading to the approval and appointment of Prince Ibrahim Adebowale Saliu as the Onise of Ise Kingdom,” the petition stated.
The petition reproduced portions of the Attorney-General’s legal advice, which reportedly concluded that Prince Saliu’s nomination complied with the provisions of the Obas and Chiefs of Lagos State Law, 2015, and advised the ministry to continue with the approval process.
The solicitors, however, argued that the legal advice effectively determined issues that were already before courts of competent jurisdiction.
“It is deducible from the above legal advice that the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice has unilaterally constituted itself as a party, the Bar and the Bench on the same issues that have been submitted for adjudication before courts of competent jurisdiction,” the petition alleged.
The lawyers further contended that proceeding with the appointment while the suits remain pending would amount to presenting the courts with a fait accompli before judgment.
“The Government has elected to determine administratively questions that are already awaiting judicial determination. Such a course would be inconsistent with the constitutional doctrine of separation of powers, diminish public confidence in the impartiality of Government and risk creating avoidable tension within Ise Kingdom,” the petition added.
To support their position, the solicitors cited the Supreme Court decisions in Governor of Lagos State v. Ojukwu (1986) and Kotoye v. Central Bank of Nigeria (1989), arguing that parties to pending litigation are under a duty to preserve the subject matter of the dispute until the courts reach a final determination.
They also relied on Section 6(6)(a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which vests judicial powers exclusively in the courts.
The petition urged Governor Sanwo-Olu to direct the immediate suspension of every administrative process relating to the approval, recognition or installation of any person as the Onise of Ise Kingdom pending the determination of the suits before the High Court.
It further appealed to the governor to direct the Ministries of Justice and Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development to refrain from taking any further steps capable of prejudicing the proceedings, maintain the existing status quo and ensure that all government agencies act in strict compliance with the rule of law.
“Our clients remain steadfast in their confidence that Your Excellency’s administration will take immediate steps to preserve the integrity of the judicial process and prevent any action capable of rendering the pending proceedings nugatory,” the petition concluded.
As of the time of filing this report, the Lagos State Government had not responded to the petition.
