Kunle Adelabu
The new Oloja of Lagos, Prince Tiamiyu Abiola Kosoko, has spoken the minds of hundreds of members of the King Kosoko family with his assurance that his reign will bring about a new beginning for the family that has been fragmented by internal strife for over 40 years.
The Oloja – elect, whose election to the coveted traditional position was ratified by the entire family at a general meeting of the Kosoko family on Thursday, December 31, 2020, at the King Kosoko palace, Ereko in Lagos Island, and also elicited wide jubilation among about 100 members that were in attendance, gave this assurance in an interview with THE IMPACT after his ratification.
Prince Abiola, who is a graduate of Wildlife Planning and Tourism Master Plan Designing from the Lagos State Polytechnic, is a tourism development and marketing expert, conservationist, curator and expert in animal rescue and relocation.
He is the Chief Executive Officer of the Origin Zoo & Gardens, Ikorodu, and the Alashe of Ebute – Iga, a settlement created by his ancestors in Ikorodu.
The Oloja – elect was also the brain behind the first – ever King Kosoko Memorial Lecture themed, “the Travails and Triumph of king Kosoko: A Lesson For Today’s Leaders” which held at the Glover hall, agos Island in 2018 and the Ebute – Iga Founders’ Week which encompasses Liwe festival, boat regatta and exhibition among others.
He was part of the team that initiated and organized the first Ikorodu Division Economic Summit and had contributed in no small measure to the development of tourism developments in Ikorodu, Lagos and other parts of the country.
“It is the beginning of a new dawn. Today, we have been able to resolve the crisis that has been going on for several decades”, he said.
“It started with my great grandfather who tried to ascend the stool and also my grandfather and uncle too, but here I am today being elected as the Oloja of Lagos.
“Everybody in the family is just happy that this is happening in their lifetime.
“The family head’s mother was the one that started this struggle as far back as 1978.
“I am happy that we are finally here and pray to God to give me wisdom to move the family forward and lead the family to where it is supposed to be because we are lacking in the Kosoko dynasty and now my responsibility is to take us to where we are supposed to be.
“I plan to bring everybody together by first resolving the rift within the family and ensure that the family speaks with one voice”.
He said that he will serve his family as the Chief Servant by carrying everybody along and helping them to achieve their dreams.
“The entire family is happy to achieve this today and they want me to lead and as the Chief Servant of the family, I will carry everybody along so that we can get to where we are supposed to be together”, he assured the family.
“The family should see me as their Chief Servant. My doors are opened and l’ll be ready to listen to everybody”.
Oloja Kosoko charged youths and elders to be prepared for the challenges of rebuilding the Kosoko Empire together for the benefit of everyone.
He assured that his reign will turnaround the family socially, culturally and economically.
“Our youths must be prepared for the challenges ahead with me; our elders should be ready to offer advice and we all must be ready to do the needful together if we are to take the family to its rightful pace.
“What has taken me to where I am today are the intellectually base plans that I introduced to the family and which I will be willing and ready to implement them together with family members.
“If you look at the palace which was built in 1860 for King Kosoko who happened to be the first Oloja of Lagos, you will notice that it has been given a facelift and we have been able to do things together in the palace.
“I have also been able to bring all the Kosoko relics back to the palace which is important for our history and future projections.
“These are some of the things that the elders saw in me and they thought I would be worthy of the stool”, he said.
“I have also documented my plans on how to reposition the family socially, culturally and economically and also ensure that the family youths made inputs. We are going to further expand the platform for further engagement”, he assured the expectant family members.
