Revoke Oba Fafunwa’s installation, families urge Gov. Sanwo-Olu

Following the installation of the son of the late Oba Patrick Onikoyi, Prince Kunle Fafunwa, as the new Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Mobaland in Lagos State, nine out of the 10 ruling houses have urged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to rescind his enthronement.

In 2023, Oba Patrick Onikoyi joined his ancestors and Kunle was installed to succeed him on July 15, 2025.

Meanwhile, the families said Kunle’s installation was a violation of the chieftaincy declaration guiding the rotational kingship, insisting that it was in contravention of culture and tradition.

They said, in accordance with the Onikoyi Chieftaincy Declaration of 2006 as published in Gazette No. 45, the stool was due to rotate to the Ojulari branch, not return to the Fafunwa lineage that produced the late monarch.

Addressing newsmen on behalf of the families in Lagos, General Secretary of Onikoyi royal family, Akin Fafunwa, said the selected candidate for the stool was Prince Omogbolahan Onikoyi.

He said: “The Onikoyi family is of the view that the facts of the entire case must have been misrepresented to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and the family is pleading with him not to allow illegality to be enthroned in the place of truth, justice and equity.

“Prince Kunle Fafunwa is not the selected candidate for the vacant stool of Onikoyi and Mobaland. Prince Omogbolahan Onikoyi is the selected candidate. He is the next Onikoyi of Ikoyi and Mobaland.”

On his part, the Olori Ebi of the Ojulari branch, Akinyemi Esinlokun, said: “We want to appeal to government to do the rightful things and not impose anyone as our king or chiefs, as there is a system in Lagos for electing chiefs and obas.”

At press time, the Lagos State government has not issued any public statement regarding the matter and Prince Kunle Fafunwa has yet to respond to the allegations.