Community Asks Ogun Assembly to Hands Off Its 4,511 Acres of Land
The Osoedu family in Okerala village, near Simawa, in Sagamu Local Government area of Ogun State, has accused the Ogun State House of Assembly of meddlesomeness in its land affairs.
It also alleged that the community’s traditional ruler, the Oniraniken of Iraniken, Sagamu, Oba Adewale Adeniji, was almost arrested recently, on the orders of some lawmakers.
The family, at a news conference in Iperu-Remo, has urged the Ogun Assembly to stop forthwith, its investigation into the family’s disputed farmland measuring 4,511 acres.
The family made the appeal through its counsel, Mr. Kole Oyedele, at the conference attended by Oba Adeniji, and other prominent leaders of the clan.
Oyedele said his clients had not only obtained a valid Ogun State High Court judgement dated 18th of April, 2018 affirming their ownership of the family land, but that there were also about six pending court cases on the same subject matter.
He explained that the position of the law is that when matters are before the court of law, such are not to be adjudicated upon by any party, and that interference by the Ogun Assembly is not only subjudice but also contemptuous and punishable under the law.
“On the 18th day of April, 2018, the state high court, sitting in Sagamu pronounced judgement in a matter between Oba Adewale Adeniyi Adeniji, the Kabiyesi, Oniranikin of Iranikin, Sagamu; Chief Nurudeen Adebayo Sanni, and Prince Adesegun Ogunkoya.
“The judgement was pronounced against the adverse possessors, the trespassers on their family land. Among other orders of the court, a perpetual injunction was issued against the defendant and the family was given customary right of occupancy of the expanse of farmland.
“Shortly afterwards too, the defendant in the suit filed an application to set aside the judgement and on the 14th day of January, 2020, the Ogun State High Court, sitting in Sagamu, dismissed the application and by so doing, reaffirmed the judgement of the honourable court as pronounced in favour of my client,” Oyedele recalled.