Okegun Crisis: Ogunkoyas Allegedly Intimidate, Force Baale Olamiji Out of Palace

Okegun Crisis: Ogunkoyas Allegedly Intimidate, Force Baale Olamiji Out of Palace

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The long existing battle and disputes regarding ownership and control of certain lands in the Okegun Aladeseso community between the Baale of the community, Chief Sefiu Mufutua Olamiji and the Baale of Okegun Odofin family, Chief Ismaila Ogunkoya, has come to fore as the latter reportedly descended on Olamiji and his family using thugs and the Akodo Area station officers and Area J police command to forcefully eject him from the Palace.

 

 

In a petition addressed to the Inspector General of Police ( IGP) Olufemi Dafosta Osinowo & Co, solicitor to the Baale of Okegun Aladeseso, accused the police of Area J police command of unethical method of investigation and unfair treatment meted to the Baale.

 

 

Osinowo, in his petition, also accused the police of unlawfully aiding and abeting the eviction of his client as the Baale of Okegun Aladeseso community and from his palace. Osinowo also condemned the manner policemen, acting allegedly on the orders of Area C Commander of Area J, humiliated the Baale of Okegun Aladeseso on the 1st of August, 2020 by handcufing him and making him walk barefooted from his palace to their station and thereafter reprimanding him in their custody till the 2nd of August without allowing him access to his lawyer. Also, the policemen we’re said to have humiliated the Baale’s wife and all members of his family, who were also manhandled by the Odofin family.

 

 

It was also reported that there were consistent threats to their lives by the Odofin which resulted to use of thugs with dangerous weapons in which properties and cash worth millions of naira were destroyed and carted away. Worst of it all, the Baale’s family members have been chased out of their houses and the community since they were bent on staying to use legal means to conclude the long existing battle once and for all.

 

As it is, the Aladeseso Royal family has a pending matter against all their customary tenants, including the Ogunkoyas in which they have obtained an injunction against all defendants in Suit No. IKD /28 /12 between Bayo Arashi & Ors Vs Bashiru Owuye & Ors , the Ogunkoya’s were between 12-14 defendants in the matter.

 

 

Osinowo stated that it was surprising that the Ogunkoya’s family have resulted to cheap blackmail using various arms of the media, electronic, print and the social media space to blackmail Olamiji to the people of Okegun community, thereby claiming all manners of damages to the properties and assets of the menbers of the community.

 

In his petition, Osinowo stated that as part of their heinous plans, the Ogunkoyas have also resorted to reporting and petitioning Olamiji to various police informations whereby he is being continuously arrested with all manners of charges with a view to silencing him and annexing his domain to a non existing Okegun Odofin which ordinarily by history is a bus stop in Ibeju Lekki and not a community as the Odofin title, whose beneficiaries are not of royal blood in the Ibeju Kingdom history.

 

 

History reveals that Okegun Aladeseso and Okegun Odofin were carved out of Oke Ekun belonging to the Aladeseso Royal family in Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos by the late Oba Olusegun Salami who also installed Chief Mufutua Olamiji and Chief Ismaila Ogunkoya as Baales respectively,

This has not gone down well with Baale of Okegun Odofin, Chief Ismaila Ogunkoya whose Baaleship was ratified and gazetted much after that of Chief Mufutua Olamiji.It will be recalled that Oba Salami admitted in 2017 that the tussle in Okegun was over the sale of lands and control of the watertfront and that the Ogunkoyas were being selfish.

Gov Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State

 

Members of the community who support and appreciate some of the giants strides of Baale of Okegun Aladeseso within the community, blamed members of the Lagos State of Assembly for fueling the crisis, by taking side with the Baale of Odofin against the wish of the people following the outcome of their reports in 2017.

 

They, however, pleaded with members of the House to look at the interest of the people and the good development Olamiji’s reign has brought to the Okegun community which falls in line with the policy and administration of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajde Sanwo-Olu on the growth and development of the state, couple with good governance for the well being and advancement of the good people of Lagos State, the people of Okegun community inclusive.