Corruption they say is one of the obstacle preventing Nigeria from achieving its enormous potential.
While the government is busy fighting the politicians and other arms of government to desist from corrupt act, some individuals are still busy conniving in perpetrating the act.
Meanwhile, land grabbing by local elites has been ignored by the government while the onslaught of land dispossession is becoming an incessant crisis.
Another family in this same land grabbing mess is the Oju-Ile Family tree from Bolorunpe town in Ibeju-Lekki who have been accusing the chairman of Ibeju-lekki, Honourable Kemi Surakatu of impunity and continuous dictatorial attitude.
Honourable Olorunkemi Surakatu who is also a member of the family allegedly connived with estate agents using his position as the local government chairman to sell the family landed properties without the consent of other family members.
This illicit act has been causing a lot of unrest within the family as some of the family members have started receiving letters, text messages from unknown contacts threatening them to stay clear of the said properties.
The family member which consist of four branches includes; Ogunbose family, Sango family, Fowoke family and Ooja family have been visiting court over their vast hectares of land but all effort to get court injunction prove abortive.
Hon. Olorunkemi Surakat who is from Sango family is the one allegedly terrorising, imposing and dictating everything in the family.
A brief chat with the family Secretary, Oludaisi Rasak, claimed the Oju-Ile family have been experiencing some level of impunity over the family lands ever since Honourable Olorunkemi Surakatu assumed office of the chairman of Ibeju-lekki Local Government using his position to intimidate, impose and harassing family members.
In his words, he said “We are here at Okerekere at Bolounpelu Village where we discover people clearing the family land without the knowledge of the whole family members. And that is why we are here to know the truth about who is behind it. With me here are some of the family elders who can attest to the fact that, we did not sign any document to sell or clearing purpose.”
Talking about the landmarks, he said “This land we’re talking about is over six hundred hectares of land and out of it, Assets Resources Management (ARM) is claiming part of the land. They said, the land belongs to them. So, we had to take them to court to know how they acquire the land. And we’ve been in court since 2016. But to our surprise, we discovered that some people are still clearing in the name of ARM and also in the name of Landwey. And the truth is that, the family never signed any agreement with these two companies. I am the Secretary of the family and I’ve never sign any agreement with anyone”
Buttressing his claim, he also said “After the court hearing in 2016, court advice we settle the matter amicably with ARM. So we now decided to go into agreement for settlement but the agreement for settlement have not come yet.”
“While we are still waiting for the agreement of settlement, Shakiru Salami Baale of Bolorunpelu who was forcefully impose as Baale of the community by honourable Kemi Surakatu connived with some people to start selling the family lands saying that nobody can challenge his authority that whatever he says and do is final.”
On whether the land was initially shared among the family, but he said “Not at all. The land has not been shared. All we had in mind is to come to the land, and share per plot or half among ourselves and build to establish a larger community. What astonished the entire family was that, after our investigation, it was revealed to us that, the Baale, Shakiru Salami is deeply involved in this because we don’t know Landwey, only ARM and some village association that the government made were in court with us, so we never new anything about Landwey.”
In 2010 the court ordered that Bolorunpelu land should be shared amongst the four branches of Oju-ile family, but it appears that some persons who have allegedly connived with the Hon. Kemi Surakat are dancing to his tunes and beats of the music for self interest.
However, a petition has been written to the IG against the chairman for threatening to kill Mr. Oluwadaisi Rasak (the family secretary) while the family appealed to the government to come to their aid over an alleged ploy to intimidate them from their legitimate family land.
All effort to get the chairman reaction, prove abortive as the number keep ringing without response as at the press time.
Attached is the petition filed against the chairman.
