4th May, 2019
Another family of the late Chief Emmanuel Oyedele Ashamu has laid claim to some of the properties in Agindingbi, Magodo and its environs, which a court is said to have awarded ownership right to the Akinole Oshiun family.
The Oshiun family claimed, through its counsel, Ayo Opadokun&Co, that the said land had been variously confirmed up to the Supreme Court of Nigeria as legally belonging to the Akinole-Oshiun Family, a land area which is more delineated in the Judgement Survey Plan No. CK/LS/272 dated 22/12/17 drawn by Abolade Coker, Licenced Surveyor; that the family has by the above court judgments taken possession of its legitimate land, measuring 398 acres immediately.
The family has gone to serve notices to occupants of over 2,000 affected structures, taking possession of the properties.
But the Ashamu family has called for clarification of the affected properties, claiming ownership of many of them.
The call, according to the representative of Ashamu family, Messrs DHTL Capital Management Limited, was to avoid confusion, because many properties belonged to the Ashamu family among the ones purportedly belonging to Akinole-Oshiun family.
Relying on certain documents to validate Ashamu’s family position, the Vice Chairman, DHTL Capital Management, Mr. Tunde Adeyemi, while congratulating Akinole-Oshiun family for its “victory”, said it would serves public interest to know that there were Ashamu’s family interest within the same claimed areas, especially, in Alausa, Agidingbi and Magodo, where the said family had properties.
“We are aware that some unscrupulous persons are trying to, (or may try to) use the supposed judgment to illegally encroach into the land and properties belonging to Ashamu’s family and also to extort money from innocent, but desperate and unsuspecting individuals or corporate bodies within these areas. So, the public should be wary,” he said.
At a news conference in Marina Street, Lagos at the weekend, Adeyemi, while tendered some documents to justified the claims, stated that when there was a dispute between the original owner of the land, the Ashade’s family, who sold the land to late Chief Emmanuel Ashamu, and Akinole-Oshiun family, was persuaded by the late Ashamu’s family not to go to court, thus, arrangement was struck among the trios on the matter.
“As a result, it was agreed upon to facilitate an arrangement whereby power of attorney may be employed. And this was done by Akinole family where a lawful attorneys under and by virtue of a Power of Attorney dated 30th June 1973, and registered as No.32, page 32, in volume 1425 of the Land Registry in the office in Lagos. These lawful attorneys, with the knowledge and consent of the whole family, later executed a Deed of Assignment in favour of late Emmanuel Ashamu. The Deed of assignment was dated 3rd August, 1973 and registered as No. 33 on page 33, volume 1432 of Land Registry in Lagos office.
“So, by the above history, and other supporting summary of root of titles, the Akinole family has conveyed all its interest in some of the land at Agidingbi. This is what informed this warning that public should be wary of making any transaction over the properties without ascertaining which one belongs to Akinole and the ones belonging to Ashamus”.
Adeyemi listed the properties belonging to late Emmanuel Ashamu within the affected areas to be in tune of 1,483.35 acres in Alausa, Agidingbi, Adekunle and Ogba areas of Ikeja.
It would be recalled that the Akinole Oshiun family, last week, through their Solicitors Ayo Opadokun & Co, said it had issued a seven-day notice to owners of some property in Ikeja, Alausa, Magodo and others, to regularise their titles on its land or risk demolition.
Solicitors to the family, Ayo Opadokun & Co, at a media briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, said the notice was issued on April 29.
Mr Kayode Akano, who spoke on behalf of the firm, said the Supreme Court had granted ownership of 398 acres of the hitherto disputed land, covering areas in Agindingbi, Alausa, Magodo, Ikeja and others, to the family.
Akano listed the areas on which properties had been built to include Alhaja Ashabi Cole, Hakeem Balogun and LTV Way, MKO Abiola Way, Sections of IPM Road, Otunba Jobifele Way and Adeleye Street.
He gave the other areas as Assibifi Road,Elephant Crescent, LJ Dosunmu Street, Impressive Close, Bayo Ajayi Street, Kareem Ogungbeye Street, Amara Street, a section of Celestial Church Street, Yusuf Street, Yusuf Close, and Abiodun Shobanjo Street.
The solicitor added that Adedeji Street, Ade Street, Ajobiewe Street, Awayemasere Street, Fagba Crescent, Ajumobi Olorunoje Street, ACME Crescent, a section of Lateef Jakande Road inside the 398 acres and a section of ACME road, were also covered in the judgement.
He gave the others as Nurudeen Olowopopo Drive, a section of Sen. Ahmed Tinubu Road, a section of CMD Jubilee Way, Magodo Brooke’s both North and South and sections of Raji Oladimeji Crescent and Akin Tijani Street.
“The Akinole Oshiun family had secured favourable judicial pronouncements /judgements from the Lagos High Court to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court finally on the 398 acres in May 2010.
The development was the outcome of a 42-year old legal tussle between the family and the Lagos State Government over the ownership of the land.
“In consequence of the family legal possession of its land and the receipt of the Certified True Copy of the Form 0 confirming that the vast land in Agidingbi area of Ikeja, Lagos State, covered by Survey Plan.No:CK /LS/272 dated 22/12/1977 had been peaceably delivered to the Akinole Oshiun family .
“The family wishes to emphasise that for the avoidance of doubt, all property within the Akinole Oshiun family, as contained in the survey plan, shall be dealt with in accordance with the judgment granting an order for possession and demolishing any illegal structure standing therein by Order of the High Court of Lagos State in the suit mentioned therein.
“The family statement, as contained in the Public Notice pasted on all affected property on their land, has directed all those affected by the Order of Execution on 26th April 2019 and another Public Notice in the Nation Newspaper of 29th April, 2019 to comply with the expectations that all property owners so affected must contact their solicitors, Ayo Opadokun and Co.
“They should contact the solicitors with any document in their possession to rectify their titles within seven days of the action and publication. Failure to do so, such properties shall be demolished in accordance with the judgment and order of the High Court of Lagos State,’’ he said.
Akano said the exercise was not to scare anyone but rather to enforce an order of the court.
He added that the family’s solicitors had put all machinery in place to execute the order to the letter, not minding whose property was involved.
“The only occupant whose property is not involved at this time of execution is Alhaja Muinat Ashorobi and also whosoever deals with anyone other than the law firm of Ayo Opadokun and co, does so at his or her peril,’’ he said