Families threaten to sue monarch over proceeds from land sales

Four representatives of Osunba families of Akinyemi House, Ojuale compound, Ijegun water side, Imore in Oriade Local Government Area of Lagos State, have threatened to sue their traditional ruler, the Alahun of Imore, if they were not furnished with financial details of money received from buyers of their family land.

The families represented by Mukaila Akinyemi, Mukaila Yusuff,  Toyin Badmus and Yisa Buraimo,  wondered why the traditional ruler refused and failed to response to the petition addressed to him and his secretary-in-council, more than two months of the letter on the matter.

In the petition dated June 6, 2023 written by their counsel, Mr Abdul Wahab, the representatives of the families argued that equity demands that the traditional ruler need to be accountable to the people. 

They maintained that the land sold had been in the possession of the families for many years, including dry and  the swampy areas of Imore town, where their forefathers, children and grand children had farmed and carried out activities before now.

According to them, this was before a substantial portion of the land was sold to various companies recently by the traditional ruler and his chiefs-in-council, particularly, the Bashorun of Ibese Kingdom.

According to them, “When the idea of selling the land was moved, it was resisted because they were not properly informed or adequately carried along in the discussion and decision leading to the eventual sale of the land, which according to them was shrouded in secrecy.” 

They added that they learned about the sell of the land to some companies by the Oba and and others, who according to them have no legal right to sell the land because their families have not given them the right to do so.

They argued as the bonafide owners of the land, they should have been contacted first, moreso when the authority of the traditional ruler over lands in the area was a subject of litigation in the appellate court in Suit No. CA/L/122/17.

They also challenged the traditional ruler on what had been collected on behalf of the families from those engaged in business of sand excavation in the area.

They stated that were ready to take legal action if their request was not attended to soon by the traditional ruler.

Culled from Vanguard