Olu of Oko Baba Agba: Oba Kabir Bashir Defends Emergence, Assures November 14 Coronation Will Hold As Court of Appeal Grants Application Against Injunction

Oba Kabir Adesegun Bashir, the Olu of Oko Baba Agba Kingdom, has defended his emergence and installation as the traditional ruler of Oko Baba Agba, insisting that the process followed due process and was based on the recommendation of a Lagos State government tribunal.

Speaking in an interview with Kosofe Reporters against the background of the ongoing chieftaincy dispute in Oworonshoki, Oba Bashir said his elevation from the Kekeniju Opomoluwa chieftaincy title to the Olu of Oko Baba Agba stool was a legitimate progression approved by the relevant authorities.

He explained that he previously held the title of Opomoluwa Kekeniju of Oko Baba Agba, which he said is recognised by the Lagos State Government and falls under Part Two of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Lagos State.

According to him, the Kekeniju title has existed for over 20 years, and he has received a salary from the state government since 2016 by virtue of the position.

"My brother in Oworo ( Oba Babatunde Saliu) was the Abagun Olorogun of Oworonshoki. He has Part Two and I have Part Two at hand. It is my Part Two that I upgraded to kingship," he said.

Oba Bashir maintained that under the Lagos State chieftaincy framework, an existing recognised chieftaincy title, including a Baaleship or White Cap Chief position, could be upgraded to an Obaship stool where the necessary conditions were satisfied.

Oba Bashir averred that the process leading to the creation of the Olu of Oko Baba Agba stool originated from the recommendation of the Standing Tribunal of Inquiry into Chieftaincy Matters in Lagos State, chaired by Hon. Justice T. Ojukutiu-Oshode.

He stated that the tribunal recommended the upgrade of the Kekeniju Opomoluwa of Oworonshoki chieftaincy title to a Second-Class Obaship stool known as the Olu of Oko Baba Agba Town.

He further claimed that his emergence received the overwhelming endorsement of relevant stakeholders and community leaders.

Oba Bashir said he applied to the Lagos State Government through the Chieftaincy Committee of Kosofe Local Government Council in accordance with the Obas and Chiefs Law.

He disclosed that the committee was headed at the time by his late father, Oba Oloruntoyin Bashir Saliu, the then Oloworo of Oworonshoki.

He also maintained that Oko Baba Agba is a distinct traditional community with its own territorial identity and administrative structure, separate from Oworonshoki.

According to him, his late father, who died on August 30, 2021, had before his death distributed traditional titles among his children without any disagreement over their respective positions.

"In Oworonshoki, it is our family that is entitled to kingship, and every one of us knows the chieftaincy position he holds," he said.

He further claimed that a tribunal had approved the elevation of Oko Baba Agba to a kingdom in March 2021, before his father's death.

Oba Bashir alleged that following the death of their father, Oba Babatunde Saliu became the Oloworo of Oworonshoki by default and subsequently opposed the recognition of Oko Baba Agba as a separate kingdom.

He said the Lagos State Government eventually approved the upgrade of Oko Baba Agba to a kingdom in August 2026, despite what he described as repeated legal challenges to the process.

Oba Bashir also alleged that the opposition to the emergence of Oko Baba Agba as a kingdom was connected to land-related issues within the community.

He accused Oba Babatunde Saliu of selling most of the land in Oko Baba Agba without adequate consideration for other members of the family, alleging that the opposition to the new kingdom was intended to conceal certain dealings.

He also expressed concern over the demolition of houses in Oworo, saying members of the family were not satisfied with the handling of land-related matters in the area.

Oba Bashir further alleged that some individuals listed as claimants in the court action told him they did not authorise the institution of the suit.

He also questioned the circumstances surrounding the filing of the action and the timing of the High Court's injunction.

The traditional ruler's defence comes amid a legal dispute over the creation of the Olu of Oko Baba Agba stool and his installation.

A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, presided over by Justice Taiwo Olatokun, on November 6, 2026, granted interlocutory reliefs in a suit instituted by Prince Adeniyi Saliu and six others against the Governor of Lagos State, the Attorney-General of the state and other parties.

The order restrained the implementation of his installation and directed that the parties revert to the position before the installation pending the determination of the substantive suit.

However, Oba Bashir, through his counsel, D. A. Awosika, SAN & Partners, subsequently filed a Notice of Appeal at the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, challenging the ruling.

He also filed a motion seeking a stay of execution and an injunction pending the determination of the appeal.

In his Notice of Appeal, Oba Bashir identified four grounds upon which he is challenging the High Court's decision.

He argued that the trial judge erred in granting interlocutory reliefs capable of determining the substantive issues in the case, maintaining that a chieftaincy stool is not a perishable commodity that could be lost through the passage of time.

He contended that the appropriate course would have been to grant an accelerated hearing of the substantive suit rather than make an order that, in his view, could prejudge the case.

He also questioned the legal standing of Prince Adeniyi Saliu and the six other claimants, arguing that they had not established sufficient interest in the Olu of Oko Baba Agba stool to institute the action.

The appellant further maintained that he fulfilled the statutory and traditional requirements for the creation of the stool and his appointment as the Olu.

He also accused the claimants of not approaching the court with clean hands, an allegation contained in his appeal documents.

Oba Bashir argued that allowing the High Court's order to be executed before the appeal is determined would breach his right to fair hearing and render the appeal nugatory.

He is therefore asking the appellate court to preserve the status quo pending the determination of the appeal.

Despite the legal disagreement, Oba Bashir insisted that Oko Baba Agba remained peaceful and urged residents of Oworonshoki to continue their normal activities without fear or confrontation.

He also claimed that the Court of Appeal had granted an application lifting the injunction imposed by the High Court, a development he said supported his continued claim to the throne.

He consequently invited residents and supporters to join him in celebrating his coronation scheduled for November 14, 2026.

However, the legal dispute remains ongoing, and the substantive suit is still before the court.