Dr. Abisoye Eleshin discussed the formal and informal protocols governing dethronement and re-enthronement within the Obaship institution of Old Lagos. He highlighted that Lagos is rooted largely in Benin-derived royal traditions, where a complex system of indigenous governance in which chiefs functioned as both gatekeepers and kingmakers is developed.
Drawing on qualitative engagements with Lagos royal houses, his research analyses cases involving about six Obas, highlighting mechanisms of control before and after enthronement. It interrogates the interplay of indigenous hegemony, colonial power, and emerging notions of Oba autonomy. Central is the principle “Bi Oba kan ko ku, Oba miiran ko je,” underscoring Lagos’s distinctive approach to royal legitimacy and succession.
