Ojora royal family’s victory by court orders sign Lagos not no man’s land – Omo Eko Pataki

images-2-2.jpeg
Share with love

By KEMI KASUMU

The take over by court orders ownership of the lands housing the Lagos State Liaison Office of Delta State Government by the Ojora Royal Family and Council has been described as a landmark achievement by Omo Eko Pataki.

This assertion was made by Trustee of Omo Eko Pataki, Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (Rtd), in a statement sent to the press on Sunday.

According to General Olanrewaju, a former Minister of Communications, the court ruling in favour of the Ojora Royal Family and Council as the rightful owners of the lands signifies that some people own Lagos and that they are taking back what belong to them in a state unpopularly touted as “no man’s land “.

In his words, “The Ojora Royal Family and Council, recently took ownership of the lands housing the Lagos State Liaison Office of the Delta State Government, at Plot 235/237, Moshood Abiola Way (former Apapa Road), Ijora, Lagos, through a court order.

“This was after successfully proving in court that the lease agreements with the governments of the Old Western Region, Mid-West Region and Bendel State has expired, thus the lands be returned to the rightful owners.

“This development has been described as a landmark by Omo Eko Pataki Forum as rightful owners of lands are taking back what belong to them in a state unpopularly touted as “no man’s land “.

Olanrewaju, who is Trustee of Omo Eko Pataki, a socio-cultural group of Lagos indigenes chaired by Chief Olabode George, explained in details the significance of the court judgement for owners of lands of the state.

“It is of historical interest to note that among the four Traditional Chiefs in Lagos is the ‘Idejo class’ otherwise known as ‘Land Owners ‘. They were ten in number in the earliest Eko Chieftaincy families’ history: a few others have been added to this Class.

“In outer boundaries of Eko, there are traditional Awori Obas who have proprietary rights to the lands in Onigbogbo, Ewu, Ikeja, Agege, Alimosho, Ojo/Badagry axis and, part of Lagos East Senatorial District. In Lagos State, lands are linked to ancestral heritage.

“As land owners, chieftaincy families have tremendous influence and have tremendous influence and responsibilities to allocate lands to family heads, immigrants, settlers and others; and by virtue of their traditional roles and ownership they are indispensable on land administration in Lagos State.

“It is an incontrovertible fact that land tenure agreements permeated relationship between the Colonial Era Administration and the Chieftaincy families, who allocated land for public use.

“Various instruments as well as a number of agreements were made which quaranteed the return of such leases to the original ownerships at the expiry of the lease agreements.

“A few more years ahead of us, many of the leasehold agreements upon which certain developments had been constructed will revert to the original ownerships.

“We will be seeing more of this in judicial pronouncements leading to recovery from individuals, State, Federal governments and Institutions. Then, it will be significant that recoveries by court orders will put a bright shine on the true ownerships of Eko land.

“Some heritage and monument sites that have been sold and taken over would be retrieved and returned to the appropriate families and local authorities.

“The old colonial City Hall in Campbell Street which used to be the official office of the first Mayor of Lagos, the Falomo Shopping Centre on Awolowo Road Ikoyi and the famous Glover Street/Kingsway Road junction Residency of colonial administration that were pulled down for non public purposes and other interests are examples of inappropriate priorities.

“Those who believe that Eko is a no man’s land should begin to have a rethink,” he said.


Share with love
Top