‘How Lagos chief demolished my property, threatened me with charms’

Olaitan Ogunseye, a resident of Lagos state, has accused Adeniyi Ajayi, the Eletu of Oke-Eletu in Ikorodu LGA of Lagos, of demolishing her property and selling off her land.

The 64-year-old Ogunseye told TheCable that she bought the plot of land situated at Chris Aghanenu Street, Eyita, Oke-Eletu in the Ikorodu area of the state from Mushade Odugate of the Majolagbe Family in May 2000, with complete documentation and a receipt.

In 2007, Ogunseye started erecting a 4-bedroom bungalow on the land and raised it to roofing level. However, she was unable to continue with the project when she fell sick and had to seek medical attention.

She was diagnosed with an illness that took her out of Nigeria for treatment abroad.

She returned to Nigeria in mid-June and continued her treatment.

“I bought the land 24 years ago in the Ikorodu area of Lagos. However, my health has not been great and I’ve been unable to complete the building. For the past six/seven years, I’ve been taking care of my health,” Ogunseye said.

In July, Ogunseye was shocked when she decided to check her property and continue working on the project. On getting to the area, she was accosted by one omo onile (land speculators), who told her she could not work on the land and that she must pay a specified amount to Ajayi if she wanted to continue her building project.

“Last month, I went to check the land to start the roofing. When I got there, I was approached by the emissary of the Baale of the area, who said I needed to pay the sum of N2.5 million to complete the building. I asked what the money was for and was told that it was for ratification of the land,” she said.

“I was told that two years ago, all the residents had come into an agreement with the owners of the land that they were all going to pay N400,000 each for ratification. But because I didn’t pay mine, the fine was N2.5 million.”

Ogunseye decided to see Ajayi and explain her plight to him.

“I told them I’ve not been around and I didn’t know anything about the payment but asked them to allow me to pay N1.5 million, but Ajayi insisted on N2.5 million and nothing less,” she said.

‘I OFFERED AJAYI N2M, BUT HE REFUSED’

Ogunseye said she went back with two of her relatives to beg Ajayi and offered to pay N2 million for the ratification.

She said Ajayi told her that his family had meetings with residents about repurchasing the land when she was not around and unaware. 

She quoted Ajayi as saying the matter was taken to court. He reportedly said they called for an out-of-court settlement, and that was when the landlords agreed to pay N400,000 as a ratification fee.

Ajayi also reportedly said the court ruled that the land could be repossessed from the buyers if anyone failed to pay the said amount. 

“All my health documents, including the one for the surgeries, I took along to show him that I’ve been sick and out of the country,” Ogunseye said.

“I decided to pay N2 million. I went back with two of my relatives to beg him but he said he didn’t want the money again and that I should forget I had a property there because he had found a buyer for the land and would give me another piece of land. 

“I explained that I didn’t refuse to pay, letting him know we just met. I wasn’t even aware of any court case because I’ve not been in the country.

“He said if I refused, I’d be killed. He even said if I decided to use charms on him, he had superior charms, and if I wanted to go to court, he would frustrate me. We thought it was a joke! He billed me more than the amount the court decided and still refused to collect what I offered him.”

PROPERTY DEMOLISHED 

On July 26, Ogunseye received a call from a neighbour, informing her that Ajayi had taken a bulldozer to her property and brought it down.

“When I rushed down there on July 29, I met another shocker. The building had been levelled and new construction had started on the land. It had been fenced around with a big gate in front,” she said.

“This took place between the time I left Ajayi’s house and when I received the call.”

A CRY FOR HELP

Ogunseye said she has written petitions to the Lagos state government, the attorney-general of the state, the EFCC, the police, the commissioner of land, and others to come to her aid.

“Ajayi is now sending emissaries to me. He said he would divide the land into two and I’ll take half while the new buyer takes the other half,” she said.

“When I spoke to a few people in the neighbourhood, they made me realise that not everyone has finished paying the ratification amount. They said some had only paid N100,000, some N50,000, and the chief didn’t come near their property.”

When TheCable reached out to Ajayi, he said the matter was under investigation and he did not want to make any comments. He directed the reporter to speak with his lawyer. 

TheCable reached out to Olatunji Osikoya, the lawyer, but he was unwilling to comment on the issue.

“I don’t think I can speak on that because the matter is already under investigation. The police are already working on it,” he said.