ABEOKUTA–Four communities, Ogunro, Igbore, Itori abd Lanki in the Obafemi Owode Local Government area of Ogun State have appealed to the state Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to come to their aid over the planned demolition of their properties by the Ministry of Lands.
Leading the protesters, the Baale of one of the communities, Chief Olakunle Bodude (Baale of Ogunro), stated that part of the communities have been excise to the communities by the former Governor Gbenga Daniel administration.
Bearing different inscriptions on placards like, “Save our soul, don’t render us homeless; This is our only inheritance, we don’t have any other place to go; they added that the community also gave part of the community land to pave way for the railway construction.
Bodude however express shock that the present administration is bent on taking the remaining part of the community for an estate development, while rendering members of the community homeless.
“We are appealing to our amiable Governor to please stop these demolition and allow us stay in our ancestral homes. We are ready to comply with the state government directives on any ratification”, he added
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tpl. Olatunji Odunlami, in his reaction warned members of the public against contravening the building laws of the State to avoid loss of property.
Odunlami said there are certain reserved areas, known as committed acquisitions, which are set aside by the government to build social amenities such as schools, hospitals, roads, among others, which must not be infringed upon by any developer or builder.c
He however acknowledged that such areas could be conceded to communities and villages that have been domiciled there for long periods of time, advising members of the public to go through necessary processes which begin before the purchase of land with Search for Title, and others, such as acquiring planning information and obtaining building approvals for their properties.
‘’Houses are not just demolished arbitrarily, but there is a process involved. We start by serving the contravention notices, then the demolition and quit notices before the actual demolition commences. All these notices are done over a certain period of time, which allows for property owners who have their documents to present them to any of our 22 Zonal Town Planning Offices across the State, or even to our headquarters in Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta.
“Only people who can establish their claims through necessary documentation will be eligible for compensation or resettlement, as the case may be if such properties have to give way for the development of any kind by the government. This is why we hardly demolish immediately we serve those series of notices”, the Commissioner emphasised.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Land Matters and Director-General, Bureau of Lands and Survey, Mr. Ololade Salami stated that when the government reserves portions of lands to certain people, they should adhere strictly to the boundaries defined in the records.
Salami noted that the Governor has certain rights within the Land Use Act to act in terms of the acquisition, urging people to be conscious when making official enquiries about the status of any land, as such matters are subject to prevailing realities of any period.
