- By Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has called for legal backing to effectively curb the activities of land grabbers in the ancient city.
The monarch made the call on Wednesday in Ibadan while receiving the report of the anti-land-grabbing committee led by Niyi Akintola at the Olubadan Palace, Oke-Aremo.
He stated that addressing the menace is achievable through the establishment of a clear legal framework.
According to him, the proposed measures would involve the enactment of bye-laws by local government councillors, in line with the Land Use Act.
He explained that such laws should provide for the creation of special tribunals to ensure speedy trial of land grabbing cases, as well as stipulate appropriate sanctions for offenders.
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 judgement to say that the land at Alapa to Maamu, Oluyole Local Govt, belonged to his family.
“And we told him that 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 a court judgement 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 Inspector General of Police 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.
He said it is difficult to estimate the amount of damage done to the Ibadan investment climate as a result of perennial 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.
The former governor 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.
Earlier, the chairman of the committee, Niyi Akintola, SAN, said the Committee received 179 memoranda, with 25 or 26 others with the Palace Secretary.
He described landgrabbers as cabals with an extensive network of connections 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.”
He, however, disclosed that memoranda from outside Ibadan have been returned to the sender because Ibadan is the coverage area of the committee.
Source: The Nation News