This is an unnerving development and it is devastating to 2,000 landlords and thousands of tenants in Agidingbi, Ikeja, who may lose their homes as the Supreme Court had awarded judgment of the 398 acres of land to a traditional land-owning family, Akinole-Oshiun.
And the most discomforting part of it, the landlords had been given only seven days to vacate their abodes before demolition will begin, www.e-nigeriang.com
Among the high-brow buildings in the area are LTV, Agidingbi, Eko FM, Coca-Cola, Daily Times, Cadbury, Zenith Bank, First Bank, the popular Fela-Shrine, several big primary and secondary schools
Others are Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, West African Examination Council, WAEC building, and many more.
The case, e-nigeriang.com learnt from one of the affected sources, began more than 40 years ago, and many people bought lands there then and even recently without any knowledge of litigation over the land.
In a peaceful protest against the Supreme Court the affected land owners marching from Agidingbi to the House of Assembly in Alausa, said the Akinole-Oshiun family, which is the judgment-creditor in the case, had already given them seven days ultimatum to vacate their houses.
The demonstrators urged the government to intervene to avert bloodshed.
They carried placards which read: “There is no ancestral link between Akinole and Agidingbi land”, “Land grabbers are enemies of Lagos State,” among others.
The Leader of Ojodu Legislative Arm, Mr. Wasiu Bolaji-Seidu, who is also a community leader in Agidingbi, said the news of the possession order came to the community as a surprise, as nobody from the area was served with summons that led to the judgment.
He said: “Last Friday, they (judgment-creditor) brought a judgment, placed it on our houses and said they have taken over the entire Agidingbi land. Nobody from Agidingbi was part of the case and I don’t know how you will enforce a judgment against a person that was never part of the case.
“Agidingbi has been in existence for over 200 years ago. I was born and bred in Agidingbi; my forefathers were born and bred in Agidingbi and I don’t see any reason why somebody would just wake up and say they were the ownersof the entire community.
“I am over 50 years; my father lived for over 90 years in this community before he died; my great grandfather died at the age of 150 and I don’t know where Akinole is coming from.
“We have people like Abibatu Mogaji, who was the Yeye-Oba of Agidingbi. We have Femi Okunnu, who is our father in the community. We don’t know where Akinole came from.”
Bolaji-Seidu urged the government to activate the provisions of the Anti-Land Grabbing Law of the state and prevent the matter from degenerating into a crisis.
The Baale of Agidingbi, Chief Ganiyu Ayinde Haruna, said they were embarking on the peaceful protest to call the attention of the government to the crisis brewing in the community.
An 83-year-old resident, who is the Iyalode of Agidingbi, Evang. Dorcas Faworaja, said her great grandparents were born in the area, “therefore the claimant cannot just come from anywhere and lay claim to the community.”
Receiving the protesters, Deputy Majority Leader Mr.. Olumuyiwa Jimoh hailed them for conducting themselves peacefully.
He said the House would look into the petition.
