Home Feature Tension in Oworo as monarch, community trade words over land

Tension in Oworo as monarch, community trade words over land

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Fear has gripped residents and landlords in Oworonshoki, Lagos, following claims by Oba Bashiru Oloruntoyin Saliu that he (his family) owned the land in the community.

The residents believed that the monarch’s claim and call on land owners to repurchase their properties could cause violence in the area notorious for cultism and gang wars.

Members of the Residents’ Association (RA) told reporters yesterday that they were taken aback when the monarch last November started making announcements on the radio that he was the owner of the land at Oworo.

“Oba Saliu did not stop with the radio announcement. He proceeded to have his lawyers paste notices in the communities and in our homes, warning us of serious consequences, should we fail to meet his demands,” the residents said.

They said the Oba claimed that he got the right to all land through court judgments against other ‘Omoniles’

The residents said the monarch termed all property owners, including those who bought theirs from the state government, as illegal occupants, who must come to the palace for repurchase and renegotiation.

The residents association Chairman, Chief Adekunle Adebayo, said that was when they knew the monarch was out to foment trouble.

He said there were about eight indigenous families and land speculators that owned and sold lands in Oworo community, and most of the residents legally bought their land from the families. “Some of these indigenous families are: Walter Siffre family, Akinpelu family, Williams family, Sokenu family, Cole family, Miyaki family and Ajisegiri family. We bought the land genuinely from them and got valid documents. We also have our title documents and Certificate of Occupancy from the government,” Adebayo said.

But the monarch, who insisted that he was the owner of the land, however said he only asked them to come for ratification and not repurchase.

He told our correspondent that even the government land belonged to him by virtue of the judgments that acknowledged his family as the first settlers in Oworo. The Nation

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