The Onikoyi Royal Family has kicked against what it described as the unlawful and illegal imposition of Prince Kunle Fafunwa as Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Moba Land by the Lagos State government.
To this end, the royal family called on Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu against installing Kunle Fafunwa as the king ahead of today’s coronation.
The family maintained that the attempt by the governor to install Kunle Fanfunwa as the new king was attempt to deprive the rightful branch of their entitlement and jettison the position of the law of the state including the Chieftaincy declaration thereby causing unrest within the entire Ikoyi and Moba land.
The General Secretary of Onikoyi Royal Family, Akin Fanfunwa in a statement issued Tuesday maintained that the imposition of Kunle Fanfunwa was against the chieftaincy declaration of the family and the law of Lagos state.
He recalled that following the demise of Oba Patrick Ibikunle Onikoyi in 2023, the entire Onikoyi family met on the 9th of December, 2023 and in accordance with the Onikoyi Chieftaincy Declaration of 2006 published unanimously selected Prince Abdul Sulaimon Onikoyi from Ojulari Branch being the next branch in line to produce the next king out of the nine remaining branches.
Fanfunwa noted that all the appropriate authorities were informed in writing about the selection of Prince Omogbolahan.
He noted that the authorities informed were: The Chairman, Eti -Osa Local Government Area by a letter dated 11th December, 2023; the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, dated 15th January, 2024 and the Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Sanwo-Olu via a letter dated 15th January, 2024.
Fafunwa explained that several letters of reminder were sent to the various authorities, however, they failed or refused to respond to the confirmation of the selected candidate.
He added: “The Onikoyi Family were forced to cause their lawyer to write another letter to the authorities on the need to perform their responsibilities consequent to declaration of Onikoyi Royal Family and the Oba and Chieftaincy Law of Lagos State.”
The family pointed out that despite the letters, no action was taken nor was any response gotten from the authorities.
Fanfunwa noted: “The Onikoyi Family got a wind, that Prince Kunle Fanfunwa who knew about the declaration of the family being the direct son of the Late Oba Patrick Fafunwa Onikoyi went about boasting that he will still be the next Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Imoba Land even though his branch just produced the erstwhile Oba and there are nine other branches line up after the Fafunwa branch.
“Consequent upon the above, the Onikoyi family instructed their lawyer to file an action seeking for an order of mandamus directing the Lagos State Government to act in accordance with the law by confirming the selected candidate of the family.”
Fanfunwa noted that the action is pending before Justice Opesanwo of the Lagos State High Court and the matter is adjourned to the 18th of September, 2025.
He said: “The family got a wind that true to the boasting of Prince Kunle Fafunwa and contrary to the declaration of Onikoyi Royal Family and all the laws in support of the issue, the Onikoyi Family upon being informed from a reliable source got a hint that Prince Kunle Fafunwa is to be purportedly installed on the 15th July, 2025 today as the Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Moba land.
“We are calling on the Lagos State Government particularly His excellency Babajide Sanwo-olu to stop this illegality and an attempt to deprive the rightful branch of their entitlement and jettison the position of the law of the state including the Chieftaincy declaration thereby causing unrest within the entire Ikoyi and Moba land.
“The Onikoyi family categorically states that the action of Prince Kunle Fafunwa in attempting to cause the state to impose him as the next Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Moba Land is an attempt to cover all the atrocities he committed against the family while the late Oba Patrick Fafunwa Onikoyi was incapacitated for years before his eventually demise.”