We need legal backing to overcome land grabbers – Olubadan

…Backs state police

Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, has stressed the need for legal backing to overcome landgrabbers in the ancient city.

This is coming as the monarch throws his weight behind the establishment of state police, saying it would help reduce crime in country.

While receiving the report of Niyi Akintola’s Anti-landgrabbing Committee at the Olubadan Palace, Oke- Aremo, Ibadan, the royal father contended that it can be done.

“The proposed legal framework would entail passing of bye-laws by our local government councillors, in accordance with the Land use act to spell out the creation of special tribunals that would give accelerated hearing to cases of landgrabbing in Ibadan, and specify sanctions,” the Oba said.

“We have come to a situation where suspected landgrabbers should know that enough is enough.We were investigating a land matter in this palace last week. Somebody brought what he called a 1912 Supreme Court judgement to say that the land at Alapa to Maamu, Oluyole Local Govt belonged to his family.And we told him that the Northern and Southern Nigeria were amalgamated in 1914.Your court judgement predates Nigeria. Therefore, it is fake.1912 to 2025 is over 100 years. A lawyer amongst us was asking him if he didnt know that it is wrong to seek to implement court judgement after 10 years it was delivered. Same thing with fake survey plans and funny,funny petitions”.

He stated further queried how somebody living in Ibadan can sell off some people’s land in Ibadan and use an address in Osogbo to petition the Police Inspector General in Abuja to allege threat to life, gun running, and terrorism.

“I think there should be a punishment against fake petitioners,” he insisted.

Adeola Oloko, media aide to the Olubadan, in a statement, quoted the monarch as saying “the tremendous amount of public interest generated by the committee made the composition of the proposed tribunals with men and women of proven integrity imperative. Oba Ladoja said that it is difficult to estimate the amount of damage done to Ibadan investment climate as a result of perrenial cases of landgrabbing.

At the report presentation witnessed by Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, Balogun of Ibadanland; Oba Kola Adegbola, Otun Balogun; Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi, Osi Olubadan and Oba Abiodun Azeez Agagagugu, Asipa Balogun, the Olubadan also promised to take drastic action against Mogajis, Baales and other chiefs implicated in land grabbing cases.

Oba Ladoja commended the committee members for their competence and integrity, “saying Ibadan is collectively proud of you and grateful”.

Apart from the chairman, other committee members who received royal commendation include: Yinka Okunade, Akeem Aponmode, Tunji Thomas and Abiodun AbdulRaheem, all lawyers.

Earlier, the chairman said that the committee received 179 memoranda, with 25 or 26 others with the palace secretary. He described landgrabbers as cabals with extensive network of connection with vital organs of government and extra-ministerial departments.

“This was why we engaged the state government, local government chairmen, police, lawyers, judges, town planners, surveyors, Ministry of Lands, estate developers, Baales, Mogajis, among others. We don’t want to pronounce judgement but the system stinks.”

Akintola said that memoranda from outside Ibadan have, however, been returned to the sender because Ibadan is our coverage area.

Meanwhile, Oba Ladoja while receiving members of Trustees of Ibadan Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, who paid him a courtesy visit on the issue of state police, said that where criminals thrive, no meaningful development can be achieved, especially this period when the country is faced with several security challenges.

Oba Ladoja further stressed that the palace had set up economic and investment committee to reduce the challenges presently facing Ibadan’s economy and Investment particularly power supply adding that the committee is to ensure the resuscitation of the moribund industries, which will contribute to the growth and employment of youths.

Emmanuel Folorunsho Ogunnaike, 23rd president of Ibadan Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, earlier in his speech, said the board was at palace to pay homage, seek mentorship and development of economy and trade especially in agriculture, engineering and commerce among others.

The chamber president urged the government to revitalize moribund industries and give necessary support to reduce the challenges facing Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture in Oyo State.

Ogunnaike called the sons and daughters of Ibadan to come home to establish economic ventures and contribute their quotas to the growth and development of Ibadanland.

In related a related development, the management staff of LAUTECH, Ogbomoso led by Razaq Olatunde Romkalilu, its vice chancellor, and also members of Dry Port Committee, located at Erunmu paid courtesy visit to Olubadan of Ibadanland.