Another family lays claim to Agidingbi land

0
468

ANOTHER family yesterday laid claim to the controversial 398-acre land at Agidingbi and environ, bringing to three the number of families making such claims.

The Ashade family made its claim about 48 hours after the Ashamu family also laid claim to the land.

Their claims came on the heels of that of the Akinole-Oshiun family, who on the strength of a Supreme Court judgment,  served those occupying the land notice of its plan to recover the property.

The family asked the occupants to come and regularise their titles with it or risk the demolition of their properties.

Its plan sparked a protest by the occupants and opened the way for the ownership claims.

The government has since said it is the rightful owner of the land and warned trespassers to steer clear.

The land spans Agidingbi, Magodo, Alausa, the Central Business District (CBD) and Ogba, among other areas.

At a news conference at the Ashade Royal Palace, Iga Iloti Compound, Ogba Ashade, Lagos, the Ashade Royal Family  Secretary, Prince Bisi Ashade, said the land  “forms part of a large portion of expanse of land owned from time immemorial, indeed before the advent of ‘Pax Britanica’, by the Ashade royal family by themselves and their ancestors over which they had continued to exercise acts of ownership nec vi nec clam et precario”.

He said the court decisions being flaunted by the Akinole-Oshiun family were from litigations in which the Ashade family was not a party nor aware of.

He said from 1890 when the dispute over the land first got to the court, to the “Supreme Court judgment in O.K.O. Mogaji vs Cadbury Nigeria Ltd & ORS, reported in 1985 NWLR pt p. 393, to the High Court of Lagos State decision in suit No. ID/1735/93 Oluwole O. Opayemi Vs. Wole Esan, delivered on December 5, 2003, the family’s proprietary interest  as traditional owners were confirmed in the vast acres of land.”

According to him, the 1985 Supreme Court judgment held that the family owned all the land at Agidingbi. He wondered why the court would  held otherwise in the verdict being paraded by the Akinole-Oshiun family .

He said the land started from Agege, covering the whole of Ogba, Alausa (Abule Tapa), Abule George, Abule Fagba, Davies Farm, Randle Farm, Abule Taylor; forming boundaries with Oregun and up to Shangisha and sharing boundary with Isheri; adding that the Akinole-Oshiun family ‘’is not known to us’’.

He warned prospective or existing property owners in the area to be wary of who to deal with.

The Ashade family  warned that anyone who deals in respect of the said land with the Akinole-Oshiun family or any other person(s), except through the solicitors to the Ashade royal family, does so at his peril.”

It said it would go to court to seek a stay of execution of the verdict, urging residents, property owners and other interested parties not to worry.

Present at the briefing were the Regent of Ogbaland, Omokehinde Ashade, the Eletu of Ogba, Prince Oyewole Ashade, other prominent members of the Ashade family and the Chief Imam of Ogba, Alhaji Rafiu Salaudeen. (The Nation)

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here