The King Kosoko Royal Family has announced renowned Nollywood actor and filmmaker, Jide Kosoko, as the Oloja of Lagos-elect.
The position became vacant following the death of Chief Adebola Ige on December 23, 2017.
Kosoko, 72, was officially presented as Oloja-elect at the King Kosoko Palace in Ereko, Lagos Island, during a well-attended ceremony by royal family members and supporters.
The proclamation was made by the Olori Ebi General of the King Kosoko Royal Family, Mrs. Mutiat Ali-Balogun, who, in line with age-long palace customs, raised Kosoko’s hand to signify his emergence. The event was marked by traditional rites and prayers. She was supported by the Deputy Olori Ebi General, Oyindamola Ayepola, who also heads the Meshimo Ruling House.
The declaration comes amid an unresolved succession disagreement within the wider King Kosoko Royal Dynasty. Another faction, the Akinsanya Olojo Family, has petitioned Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to approve the installation of Abiola Olojo-Kosoko as Oloja of Lagos.
In December 2025, the Akinsanya Olojo Family reiterated that Abiola Olojo-Kosoko was selected as Oloja-elect on December 12, 2020, but has not been installed more than four years after the decision.
The request was communicated through a formal letter addressed to the governor and copied to key government officials, including the Secretary to the State Government, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government, and the Council of Heads of the Kosoko Royal Family.
The General Secretary of the Akinsanya Olojo-Kosoko Ruling House, Theophilus Olojo-Kosoko, reaffirmed the family’s position, adding that a follow-up letter dated November 28, 2025, was submitted to seek urgent government intervention.
He stated that after Chief Ige’s passing, a 16-member committee was constituted to review the succession process. According to him, the committee later directed the Akinsanya Olojo Ruling House to present a candidate in accordance with customary practices and chieftaincy laws.
He further explained that traditional screening and interviews held at the Kosoko Palace on October 7, 2020, featured four contenders: Abiola Olojo-Kosoko, the late Shola Olojo-Kosoko, Issa Aregbesola, and Abiola Aromashodu of the Odunsi Ruling House. The kingmakers reportedly selected Abiola Olojo-Kosoko as the most qualified candidate and declared him Oloja-elect on December 12, 2020, in line with the Lagos State Obas and Chiefs Law and the 1983 Registered Declaration.
Meanwhile, Jide Kosoko is expected to undergo the traditional installation and capping by the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu, in accordance with established palace customs and state traditions.
A graduate of Business Administration from Yaba College of Technology, Kosoko began his acting career in 1964 as a child actor in the television production Makanjuola. Over the decades, he has featured in numerous English and Yoruba Nollywood films, earning acclaim as one of Nigeria’s most respected and enduring screen legends.