Protest rocks Alausa over Supreme Court judgment on Agidingbi

* Baale, community leaders seek govt’s intervention

Community leaders and residents of Agidingbi area of Ikeja
yesterday embarked on a peaceful protest against the judgment of
the Supreme Court, which awarded ownership of 398 acres of property
in the community to a traditional land-owning family,
Akinole-Oshiun.

The possession order is said to cover a large section of the
Lateef Jakande Road, Acme Road, Fagba Close and other streets
around the area, totalling over 2000 buildings.

The protesters, who marched 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 will just wake up
and say they are the owner of the 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.

Subscribe ToNairalaw News!