Fatai Lawal Opeseyi, Janet Bamigbose, Hassan Lawal and Solomon Adepoju Opeseyi, representing the ruling house, lost their original suit before Justice R.I.B. Adebiyi at Lagos High Court. That judgment, delivered June 9, 2020, dismissed their claims. Now appellants, they presented five issues for the appellate court to resolve.

The dispute traces back to the death of previous Oloto, Oba Olugbogi. The Oloja Ruling House nominated Michael Adebisi Olowoiga Opeseyi for the throne. Instead, officials installed Aina. The original lawsuit named as defendants the Lagos State Government, its Attorney-General, the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs, Ojo Local Government, Aina and Enoch Opeifa.

Appellants argued the Oto-Awori Local Council Development Area lacked authority to oversee the installation. They called the New Local Government Area Amendment (No. 2) Law 2005 of Lagos State “inchoate and inoperable.” Officials listed Aina as from the Oloja Ruling House, they said, though he descends from Omukole, sister of Oba Ebenezer Fagbayi Opeseyi. Tradition requires candidates from the paternal line of the ruling house.

Justice Adebiyi disagreed. She ruled Oto-Awori LCDA was legally recognized and empowered by Ojo Local Government, its supervisor. The judge also found the claimants waived rights by first responding to the LCDA’s call for nominations, then disputing its legitimacy.

In their appeal, the Oloja members attack those findings head-on. Issue one claims Oto-Awori LCDA had no legal standing from 2005 to 2007 and could not receive delegations from Ojo Local Government. They want the court to deem the Local Government Administration Law 2015 and Obas and Chiefs Law of Lagos State 2015 irrelevant.

Issue two challenges the waiver finding as immaterial. The appellants seek a full reversal. “We respectfully urge this court to allow this appeal by setting aside the judgement of the lower court and give judgement in favour of the appellants,” their filing states.

Three more issues target related points, though details remain sparse in court documents. The case highlights tensions over chieftaincy succession in Lagos suburbs, where local councils clash with traditional ruling houses.

Oto-Awori falls under Ojo Local Government in Lagos State. The Oloto throne holds cultural weight in the community. No date is set for the appeal hearing.