Scores of residents of Agidingbi in Ikeja Local Government on Thursday marched to the Lagos State House of Assembly to challenge the judgment of the Supreme Court which favored the Akinole Oshiun family to take possession of 398 acres of land in the area.
More than 2,000 properties in Agidingbi, Acme Road and part of Magodo are affected by the court’s judgment and the Akinole family has erected takeover notices all over the place on all affected properties, giving them a seven days’ notice of vacation to all occupants from their various homes.
Early in the morning hundreds of Agidingbi residents moved as crowd from their homes with placards in their hands toward the Lagos State House of Assembly for the sole aim of showing their displeasure at the court’s order and gave protest letters to the lawmakers and the state government.
The protesting crowds were seen chanting songs of solidarity, saying “Akinole, ole, Akinole ole.” Among the placards they carried read: “There is no ancestral connection between Akinole and Agindingbi, “LASG, stop illegal land grabbers,” “Akinole Oshun are land grabbers, “Land grabbers are enemies of Lagos State,” and “Enough is enough for land grabbers.” to name but a few
The Baale of Agindingbi, Ganiu Ayinde Aruna, in a letter delivered to the lawmakers, made it known to the state government and the Assembly the looming danger, threats and action being played by a family called the Akinole-Oshium towards causing disaster, as well as disrupt the peace of the community.
“This threat is aided by some compromised security agents who accompanied them to threaten the lives and properties of inhabitants of the state on the 26th of April, 2019.
“Although, it is no longer hidden fact that the Aleshinloye Family owns Agindingbi land, under acquisition of the state government, yet it is strange to see that the Akinole-Oshiun Family lays spurious claims of the whole land in the community, with threat to destroy the properties of the inhabitants in the community as well as to bulldozed and destroy buildings in the community within seven days,” he said.
According to him, this threat was said to be traced to the claim of judgment obtained, to be forced upon the properties within the community, adding that as law-abiding citizens, the community would not want to take laws into their hands.
He called on the state government and the lawmakers to look into the matter in order to avoid crisis.
Wasiu Bolaji Seidu, a member of the council legislative, speaking on behalf of the protesters, said Agidingbi had been in existence for over 200 years and that it was not possible for somebody to just wake up to take over the land based on a court judgment that never got them involved.
He said Alhaji Okunnu, the late Abibat Mogaji were part of Agidingbi as well as their great-grandfathers, asking the state government and assembly to intervene in the matter to avoid bloodshed.
Evangelist Dorcas Modupe,the 83 years old Evangelist who is the Iyalode of Agindingbi, said she was born in the area as well as her great grandparents, saying that the Akinole family cannot just surface from nowhere to lay claim to ownership of the area.
Receiving the protesters, the Deputy Majority leader, Olumuyiwa Jimoh said the Assembly would look into the matter and get back to the community.
He said after looking into their letter, they would be invited by the House to find lasting solution to the matter and appealed to them to be peaceful and not take laws into their hands.