Oriba, Lagos indigenes cry out, allege ‘self-acclaimed Oba-elect’ calls them ‘bastards’ on ancestral land

By KEMI KASUMU

Some members, representing royal families from across the six Ruling Houses of Oriba Community in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State, say they have been declared ‘bastard ‘ and as people from unknown sources on their own land, by one Alhaji Yusuf Kasali Olanrewaju, who claims to be the Oba-elect of the ancient community.

They made this complaint during an emergency meeting held at the Chambers of their lawyers, Yakubu Eleto and Co, in Lagos on Tuesday October 15, 2024.

The six reprentatives at the meeting included Aare Adesegun Hassan, Chief Modupe Bello Abubakre, Alhaji Mufutau Lawal, Hon. Bolanle Lawal, Alhaja Mujidat Ganiu Adegoke, and Mr. Nureni Yusuf Olanrewaju.

In their position presented after the meeting at a press briefing addressed by Aare Adesegun Hassan, who is from Bakare Royal Family of the Akesan Ruling Family, it was noted that Alhaji Yusuf Kasali Olanrewaju obviously was “constituting disturbsnce of the peace” by going on radio to claim Oba-elect and directing that all transactions on land matters be channelled through him and his children, while also at separate fora declaring fellow indigenous owners of the land as bastards, despite knowing that a case on the royalty matter is before a court of competent jurisdiction yet to be discharged.

They, therefore, called on all authorities and elders concerned in Epe Division and Lagos State in general to take urgent steps and actions with a view to stopping the acclaimed Oba-elect before the activities of him and his children degenerate into a breakdown of law and order in the Oriba community.

According to Aare Adesegun Hassan, “Alhaji Yusuf Kasali Olanrewaju is a Baaleship contestant and the matter has been in court since 1999 before a judge of the High Court in Ikeja and the matter has not been resolved up till now.

“Oriba Community in Epe Local Government, Lagos State is alleging the Olanrewajus: The father: Olanrewaju Kasali; The sons: Ismail Olanrewaju, Luqman Olayiwola Olanrewaju and others for trying to cause the breach of peace in the ancient community.

“They went on air, the fact remains that Yusuf Kasali Olanrewaju claimed the Oba-elect of Oriba, that whoever wants to transact land in Oriba should contact him or come to him and his son, to the extent of releasing their phone numbers on Adanimogo FM Radio. They made the broadcast severally. This can cause breach of the peace in Oriba Community.

“Alhaji Yusuf Kasali Olanrewaju has been in court since 1999. The matter has not been judged or settled up till now. So, this action can cause breach of the peace in Oriba Community.

“We are, therefore, calling on all authorities concerned in ensuring law and order as well as peace and security in the community: the security agencies, elders in the state, the political class and all others that may be concerned about this matter to look into it and take necessary action to prevent breakdown of law and order in Oriba Community of Epe Local Government.

“Yusuf Kasali Olanrewaju claims to be Oba-elect and his children have been terrorising the people of the community because the community told their father to step down. Since then they have been terrorising to the extent that they went to the radio station in Ajelogo to go and broadcast that we are not indigenes of Oriba and that they are the only indigenes of Oriba. They made this announcement on the radio and called us bastard. But they are not correct.

“We want the authorities to take action against these people for reasons of Alhaji Yusuf Kasali Olanrewaju parading himself as the Oba-elect which is not true. That is why we want the government to take action against Alhaji Yusuf Olanrewaju, Ismail Olanrewaju, Luqman Olanrewaju and others urgently.

“If we fail to do this, it can cause the breakdown of law and order because we have been the ones talking to our children and the youths stopping them against reacting to the Olanrewajus’ actions so as not to cause crisis in the community. Oriba is an ancient town and we want all that have the capacity to take preventive measures to listen to our cries.

“Our prayer is that they should call these people to come and explain why, despite knowing that a matter is in court, they went on radio and made the repeated announcement that they made,” he said.

Effort to reach out to the alleged persons especially Alhaji Yusuf Kasali Olanrewaju proved abortive as of the time of filing this report proved abortive.

However, some audio clips of radio adverts in English and Yoruba languages, provided to support the allegations against the Olanrewajus, reveals: “Special announcement. This is to inform the general public that from henceforth, anyone to buy or purchase land in and around Oriba town must do it through Oba-elect of Oriba Land, Alhaji Yusuf Olanrewaju Kasali. Please know that anyone, who transacts any land deal with the so called Great Oriba Community Association, do so at his or her own loss. To buy a legal property at Oriba Community, kindly call: 081-00845973 today. Please don’t buy from a wrong people.”

In the meantime, it was gathered that a petition was filed with the Lagos State House of Assembly on this matter on July 24, 2024 while a resolution sighted at the press briefing with affixed photographs and signatures reads that “the six Ruling Houses of Oriba, Epe Local Government; Lagos State have unanimously resolved to process a registered declaration for Oriba Community.”