Justice Adebowale Candide-Johnson of an Ikeja High Court on Friday declared Rilwan Akiolu as the bonafide Oba of Lagos.
Candide-Johnson in a two-hour judgment held that considering the totality of the evidence before the court, Akiolu had a rightful claim to the throne.
“The claimants alleged that the Solanke Tribunal submitted a report in 1976 stated that the Obaship stool is by rotation. None of the claimants produced a copy of the report in court.
“The claimants failed to provide concrete of credible evidence of the alleged rotation of the two ruling houses.
“The claimants claimed the Akiolu branch of the Ologun Kutere line has gone into extinction. The third defendant (Akiolu) in his evidence was able to trace the lineage of his stool.
“The evidence of the claimant’s witnesses were full of contradictions. From the totality of the evidence before the court, I hereby pronounce His Royal Majesty Oba Rilwan Akiolu, is the valid, legitimate Oba of Lagos.
“The case of the claimants is hereby dismissed,” Candide-Johnson held.
Candide-Johnson also noted that it had been 233 to 239-years since a lineage of Oba Akinsemoyin has been able to become Oba of Lagos.
(NAN)