The Akowonwado families of Saari Village in Ado-Odo Ota Local Government Area has kicked against the labeling of the former Ogun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs , Chief Jude Ojuko as a land speculator.
Addressing Journalists in Ota, Oba Samson Adeleye, the Olu of Okikilu Kingdom, and who is also a member of Akowonwado families bemoaned a sponsored publication in some online platforms and some radio programmes asking Ogun state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to rescues them as displacement residents of said villages from land grabbers.
Though the land grabbing allegation was directed to Chief Jide Ojuko, a senior special assistant to governor Dapo Abiodun and Chief Adeogun Elijah ,the Oba Okikilu flanked by Other members of the family, including the Akogun of Saari village which is also a principal member in Akowonwado family clan however, as nobly recognised in the local government council as law abiding citizens of the gateway State unequivocally refuted the allegation stunt as fake and void.
“For purposes of unambiguous clarity, the mentioned portions of lands with concise layout belong to our ancestors with concrete evidents sandwiched with detailed court judgements to the levels of supreme Court affirming our entitlement to the community land as inheritance from our Ancestors.
“Sequence upon several litigations instigated by the family, Supreme Court has judged on the matter on suit number SC 259/2001 on 21st Day of May 2004 as lack of evident of ownership or entitlement by the Salako and Akore Families which were natives of Abeokuta in Ogun State. The community lands in contest, however,is situated on Awori-land at Atan Community, So the question of their ownership was blatantly refuted by the court of law to the levels of Supreme Court in 2004.
Due to the claims of displacement and forceful possession as mentioned on the micro blogging ‘x’ post, the Akowonwado families which comprises of seven villages of Akowonwado,: Ilasa, Oko-Omi, Okikilu, Erinle, Ore, Akinleye and Saari village have lived and occupied the said land for over 200 years by their ancestors, who migrated from Ile-Ife and resettled on the expanse of the surveyed layout portions of the aforementioned villages and had continuously handed over the lands as inheritance to their children hitherto.
Chief Adeogun Elijah, one of the key principals of the village,who was also the Akogun of Saari village revealed to newsmen further that the children of one Alimi Toriola (late) and others were neck-down to tarnish the enviable image and continuous trespasses on Akowonwado families land by employing armed thugs, stealing and selling of lands of Aforementioned villages, it was then we started petitioning the Nigeria police reporting violent overtaking and trespassing to the Supreme Court won land.
Our petitions started from Zone 2 upscale Abuja headquarters where they were defeated as their allegations lacks any merit and documents to back up their ownership claims were not provided to the Police force. One of the means employed was to use medias of Radio and microblogging platforms in continuos blackmailing of Akowonwado family as land grabbers of their fathers land which were nothing but a blatant lies.
Speaking further,Akogun Elijah mentioned that the violent encroachment to the community lands were taken in 2017 after the death of Alimi Toriola, Jimoh Salako and Idayatu Salako,all now deceased which were a party and witness to the Salako/Akore Supreme court defeat case.
Prime among the fake and post sponsors and enchroachers in the communities which were direct children of the deceased and family members led by Morakinyo are; Salako, Rafiu,Tijani, Tajudeen, Adeniyi, Tijani and Salau respectively.
Elijah, added that the land possession and execution taken by the Akowonwado family was authorised by the High Magistrate Court with document (HCA/30/2015) Enrollment Order, Warrant Of poccession and Form ‘O’ which stands for certificate of execution of warrant of possession on the contended lands respectively. According to Akogun,the possession execution was carried out by Nigeria Police and the bailiffs from the court without any distractors whatsoever.
He urged the general public and Akowonwado land occupiers and villagers to disregard any posts or information claiming ownership of the Ado-Odo Ota community lands in the state, urging concerned residents and villagers to continue conduct themselves and businesses peacefully as Akowonwado Family would never venture into any unpopular activity that could bring their nobility to any form of flagrant disrepute. He concluded.
