Man In Exile Sends SOS To Gov Amosun

A middle aged man, Mr. Olawale Sangotoki, who was forced to go on self-exile over his ancestor’s expanse of land in Ajegunle, Oke-Ore, Maku, Ajibawo, Kajola, Ajiboro and Olorunda villages in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria, has called on the governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun to save his soul.

Sangotoki said he has been on self-exile for several years with his sister and other siblings, following the destruction of his family property and threat by some hoodlums in the villages to eliminate them.

Narrating his ordeal to newsmen amidst tears and displaying the petition he had sent to Governor Amosun, the man who claimed that he narrowly escaped death the last time he visited the village following a 50-50 agreement over the expanse of land, said he is not safe as he had been traced to the neighbouring state he was hiding.Says Sangotoki: “the problem started when we decided to lay legal claim to the vast tract of land of Ajegunle, Oke-ore, Aiboro, Olorunda, Kajola, Maku, Ajibawo and others, all along Idi-Iroko road in Yewa division of Ogun State. Some land speculators who had tried to lay claim to the land in question invaded the place and destroyed our father’s house.

“After a long period of legal tussle over the land, suit number HCT29/94 filed at an Ogun State High Court, Ota, was discontinued on terms of settlement signed on 7 December, 2001 on behalf of Lanisa and Akindipe Ikoriko families.

“The suit was between Chief Fatai Ogisanyin Anibere and others against Chief Isaac Durodola Oladeinde Adeyale and others,” the petitioner stated.

Sangotoki further claimed that the Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, was signed by three parties and their counsel, expressing his shock that despite this, the land speculators still refused to leave the land, causing chaos and violence.

He called on Governor Amosun and the security agents to wade into the matter and save him and his siblings, saying the land grabbers have no respect for the rule of law as they had virtually taken the law into their own hands by turning the villages to a battle field.

According to him, the property agent appointed by the parties for the peaceful take-over of the vast land, Owoeye & Company, was prevented from doing its job.