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By Josfyn Uba
A group, Movement for Human Volunteers (MHV), has sent a save- our- soul (SOS) to the Lagos State Government for urgent intervention into the current land dispute affecting the residents of the Abiodun Adegesin axis, Mushin area of the state.
According to a letter on November 6, the group said the controversy began when a public notice was issued by the Oba of Odi-Olowo, declaring that the land where the residents had lived for decades belongs to the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), asking all the occupants to vacate their properties.
This declaration has put the community in confusion, as many families have lived there for over 60 years since the 1960s.
According to the letter, the group said that the former Oba of Odi-Olowo had previously verified and validated residents’ ownership documents, recognising them as rightful holders of their properties.
However, the current directive presents a different reality of that acknowledgment, casting a dark cloud over the residents’ rights to their homes.
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Residents have collectively invested over ₦150 million into their properties, and many are elderly individuals with no alternative housing option.
The group said that the shock of the eviction notice had taken a toll on the residents, especially the elderly citizens. For these reasons, they decided to call on the government to come to their aid.
The MHV has, therefore, appealed to the current Oba of Odi-Olowo to clarify the ownership status of the disputed land, specifically whether it pertains to the Federal Ministry of Works or the Federal Housing Authority.
Investigations by MHV representatives at the Federal Ministry of Works have revealed no involvement in the issuance of the eviction notice, requesting the need for clarification.
Given these developments, the MHV is appealing to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Lagos State Government, Chairman of Odi-Olowo LCDA, and all local representatives to urgently intervene in the dispute for the protection of the rights and dignity of the affected residents, particularly the vulnerable elderly and avert further chaos in Odi-Olowo community.
