Our Reporter
According to the first class monarch, the proposed legal framework would entail passing of bye-laws by our local government councilors, in accordance with the Land use act to spell out the creation of special tribunals that would give accelerated hearing to cases of land grabbing in Ibadan, and specify sanctions. Said Oba Ladoja: “We have come to a situation where suspected land grabbers 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 judgment 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 judgment predates Nigeria. Therefore, it is fake.1912 to 2025 is over 100 years. A lawyer amongst us was asking him if he didn’t know that it is wrong to seek to implement court judgment after 10 years it was delivered. Same thing with fake survey plans and funny, funny petitions.” How can somebody living in Ibadan, 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, terrorism. I think there should be a punishment against fake petitioners”
According to Olubadan, 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 it is difficult to estimate the amount of damage done to Ibadan investment climate as a result of perrenial cases of land grabbing.
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 Barr Yinka Okunade, Barr. Akeem Aponmode, Barr. Tunji Thomas and Barr. Abiodun AbdulRaheem
Earlier, the chairman, Chief Akintola SAN said the Committee received 179 memoranda, with 25 or 26 others with the Palace Secretary. He described land grabbers 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 etc. Your Imperial Majesty, we don’t want to pronounce judgment but the system stinks”
Barr Akintola said memoranda from outside Ibadan have, however, been returned to the sender because Ibadan is our coverage area.
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