• 2 Lagos communities battle over ownership of varsity’s 802 acres of land
By Gabriel Dike and Shina Ogunbiyi
A major crisis is brewing between two communities in Lagos State over the ownership of 802 acres of land where the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, is sited, since 1983. Academic and administrative activities may be disrupted if the controversy escalates to a major disagreement.
Awori indigenes of Ojo and Iba, backed by their traditional rulers, chiefs as well as prominent sons and daughters, are separately laying claim to the vast expanse of land.
Trouble started when, at the 26th convocation and the 40th anniversary of LASU, the Oniba of Iba, Oba Sulaiman Asade, in a speech in Yoruba language, remarked that the LASU Ojo campus was sited on the land of Iba. Ojo indigenes through the Otunba of Ojo, Chief Sulaiman Obasa, debunked the insinuations and claimed the land belonged to Ojo.
Obasa, along with Alhaji Raji Olorunfunmi Obasa and Alhaji Badmus Atiku, head of Iloro Ruling House, claimed the land was donated to the Lagos State Government to establish Government College, Ojo, in 1974.
Ojo’s position
Obasa insisted: “We make bold to state unequivocally, without doubt, that the expanse of land on which the main campus of LASU is sited is owned by the Ojo. It has not been ceded to any other kingdom or individuals. We would not have bothered glorifying the wrong assertion peddled by Iba but for the need to correct the wrong statement.
“It is imperative to correct the wrong impression created by a respected and revered monarch, Oba Asade. He made the remark on June 22, 2023, ex tempore in Yoruba, at the 26th convocation of LASU, that the institution (Ojo campus) is sited on the land of Iba.
“Since the Oniba made the statement, the Office of Olojo of Ojo has been inundated with several calls, locally and internationally, on the LASU land.
“Moreso, indigenes have been bothered, thronging the palace of our monarch, seeking to know if the ownership of the land has been ceded to Iba.
“We are doing fact-stating mission to avoid occurrence of similar unfortunate bloody clash that erupted between Ife and Modakeke some years back in Osun State, in which several lives were lost and property destroyed.”
He emphasised that the law establishing the university in 1983 by the late Governor Lateef Jakande administration recognised the institution as Lagos State University (LASU) campus and not any other name:
“To drive home further our assertion of the ownership of the land, the immediate past monarch of Iba, Oba Goriola Oseni, dragged the management of LASU and Ojo indigenes before the Lagos High Court over the ownership of the land. It was resolved in favour of the management of LASU and indigenes of Ojo.
“‘Oko kije ti baba t’omo, ko ma lala.’ (There must be a demarcation of land even between father and son). We only want to set the records straight and prevent the general public from being fed with distorted information.”
Obasa implored Awori indigenes of Ojo to remain calm and disregard the misconception by Iba: “The ownership of the land still remains that of Ojo, without doubt.”
Alhaji Raji Olorunfunmi, of Olor Ruling House, said: “The LASU land belongs to Ojo. Our reaction is for record purposes. The boundary between Ojo and Iba is at Omi Olodo Bridge.”
He claimed their forefathers farmed on the land before government established Government College, Ojo, on the land: “We gave the land to the state government in 1974. The late Chief Lateef Jakande’s administration converted it to LASU in 1983. The ownership of the land is not in dispute.”
Iba restates ownership
However, Baale Sabo-Oniba, Chief Taofeek Oloyede Oseni, added a new dimension to the land tussle when he claimed that even the entire land of Ojo was part of Iba: “We gave it out for peace to reign. The land in dispute was acquired by the Federal Government for a Federal Government College. It was converted to LASU in 1983 by the Jakande administration.”
He claimed that the two communities battled the case in court and the Supreme Court resolved it. Both Iba and Ojo accepted the terms of settlement: “The two communities are peace-loving people. But if they want tussle, we are ready to battle them. The issue Ojo indigenes are raising is uncalled for. Iba is ready to defend LASU land, which belongs to our forefathers.
“This land belongs to Oniba and Iba people. If the Oba said the land belongs to Iba people, he is correct. The state government acquired the land for educational purpose. We are not ready to cede any part of it to Ojo. The boundary between the two kingdoms is at Iragbogun, which passes through the bridge at Alaba International Market, which demarcate Ojo and Sabo-Oniba.”
Head of Arowolo and Afobaje families, Elder Joshua Omotesho Arowolo, reaffirmed that the land belongs to Iba: “Even Ojo is on Iba land. We won the case in 1961. The Ojo people do not have the right to challenge Oniba’s statement about ownership of LASU land. Even Ojo land, Iba owns it.”
Another indigene of Iba, Chief Ishola Jato, said: “Our Oba did not make any mistake about ownership of LASU land. We have documents to prove that LASU land belongs to us, which Ojo indigenes cannot dispute.” He insisted representatives of government negotiated with Iba people when the land was to be acquired.
Ojo indigene backs Iba
An indigene of Ojo, Elder Osoja Julius Ariyo, from Idoluwo Ile, in Oto Awori Local Council Development Authority, Ojo, threw his weight behind Iba: “The land where LASU is sited today belongs to Iba town.
“Ojo kingdom is only laying claim to the land because from the onset, people referred the university as LASU, Ojo. The actual owner is Iba.
“One of the former commissioners in Lagos State was living in Ojo. When government was thinking of establishing a university at Epe Division, the people refused to release their land. The commissioner under the Jakande administration, Chief Ege, then used his position to make land available for LASU in Iba.
“Everybody knew the land belongs to Iba town and that Ege told the committee handling the project to erect the institution on the land but failed to inform them that the land belongs to Iba. How can Ojo lay claim to the land when they have only crowned four kings, compared to Iba, which has crowned nine kings?
“The grammar school that was on the land was moved to another place to give way for LASU.”