UK-based Oluwole Akinsanmi Lofinmakin is currently embroiled in a battle to retain his late father’s landed property from a section of the Eletu-Odibo family of Lagos, who he says have forcibly taken over and sold the said property. Despite some victories, he fears the battle may just have begun. Gboyega Alaka reports
Oluwole Akinsanmi Lofinmakin is based in the United Kingdom, but more recently, he has had to frequent the country to oversee an urgent situation that threatens to dispossess him and his siblings of their inheritance, a bungalow situated at 10, Obadina Street, Abule Oja, Yaba, Lagos.
Oluwole claims that the land was sold to his father, Abraham Akinsanmi Lofinmakin by the Eletu Odibo family. The receipt of purchase dated 2/9/58, which he brandished, was signed by the then Eletu Odibo, Chief Amusa Gbadesere and witnessed by one Bello Latunde Eletu. The receipt also states that Abraham Akinsanmi Lofinmakin paid “150 pound Sterling being full purchase money for the said parcel of land situated at Abule Oja, Yaba. The said land measuring 50 X 80, more or less…”
According to Oluwole, who said he is the first born of four siblings, his father built a bungalow on the purchased land, which came to be known as 10, Obadina Street, Abule-Oja, Yaba, Shomolu Local Government, Lagos. The family, headed by his father, lived there until their father travelled to the United Kingdom in 1962.
He therefore cannot comprehend why a faction of the Eletu Odibo family, who are the traditional land owners of the whole Abule Oja environs, could now be claiming ownership of the land, to the extent of going to resell it to a new buyer and demolishing the property on it.
According to Oluwole, things got to a head on December 11, 2017, when he got a message in his base in the United Kingdom that his father’s house was being demolished. “They said the omoniles (traditional land-owners of the area) came with vicious looking thugs, who were threatening the tenants and everyone in sight and smoking marijuana in the open. I even learnt that one of the tenants in the house died in the melee that ensued that day.
“Earlier that same December,” Oluwole said “they (Omoniles) had sent a letter to the house, requesting to see the documents of the property, to which I asked ‘for what reason?’ I asked why they wanted to see the papers. This was a property and not a land, a property bought nearly 60 years ago. I told them I had nothing to do with them and sent a copy of a previous letter from the Police at Alagbon letter to them.
According to Oluwole, the Eletu Odibo family first started threatening to take over the property, albeit unsuccessfully, on April 8, 2011, which was renewed 2012, right after he initiated a court case against his half brother, Olubunmi, whom he alleged had been running the property without rendering account to the other three siblings who were based abroad. The four siblings had in 1993 travelled to the United Kingdom to see to the burial of their father, who died over there. Thereafter, three of them stayed back, while Olubunmi came back, and took over the running of the house from the agent, S D Soetan, in whose care their father left it.
Said Oluwole, “A faction of the Eletu Odibo family, represented by Kobomoje Chambers started threatening to take over the property. I must state here that it is not the entire Eletu-Odibo family, as one faction that acknowledged me and gave me documents of the land. I did a photocopy of the documents and sent to my half brother. I then summoned the omoniles and my brother to Alagbon, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to come down to Nigeria regularly and could not afford to stay back in Nigeria permanently. The Alagbon people couldn’t conclude investigations. They said it was an attempt to take over and sell the land by the omoniles. Fair enough. On the 14th of March, 2017, a Lagos High court presided over by Hon. Justice M. O Obadina delivered a judgment in my favour (in the suit against my brother), that as first son and head of the family, I am ‘entitled to hold in trust the property.’
“In November 2017, I came home and learnt that the omoniles had started threatening again. Apparently, the property had become more attractive to them. So when I got news of the demolition, I got my lawyer and we wrote a petition to Panti. Following petitions and counter-petitions that took us to Alagbon, Zone 2, and back to Alagbon, where he met with the commissioner of police, who gave us audience. To my surprise, the buyer, One Hyacinth Ona also wrote a petition.”
Oluwole said “The Omoniles, represented by their lawyer, Oyewo A.B Esq, senior lawyer at Kobomoje Chambers, are claiming that my family members, some purported ‘Olofinmakins’, namely: Mr. Adegoke Olofinmakin (head of Olofinmakin Family), Mr. Adeyemi Oluwole Olofinmakin (Principal member), Mr. Babatunde Olofinmakin (Principal member), whom he does not know and has never met surrendered the property to them.
“What they however did not reckon with in their plot to illegally acquire the property is that there is a difference between Lofinmakin, which is the authentic family name, and Olofinmakin. To further underline the charade, these ‘Olofinmakins’ did not show up at the hearings at the Lagos State Anti-Land grabbing Task Force, where I later took the matter to.”
Just last week, precisely Wednesday May 3rd, Oluwole said “The chairman of the Lagos State anti-land grabbing, Mr Bakare, ruled that I should take possession of the property. He also said the panel will notify the police and other relevant law enforcement agencies to that effect.”
Speaking in his office on Oweh street, Yaba, Olubunmi Lofinmakin, Oluwole’s sibling with whom he had a long battle over the control of the property also said the purported ‘Olofinmakin family’ members being brandished as giving permission or surrendering the property were fictitious, as there are nobody with such names in the family. He also said the family name is Lofinmakin and not Olofinmakin.
Olubunmi said his main grouse with his brother was in not being physically present to administer the property after winning control, thereby making it vulnerable to land grabbers. He also debunked the allegation that he was collecting rents for years, saying the property was an old one, with little monetary return.
Olubunmi said his interest ultimately is for the property to be sold so that each sibling can go their separate ways with their share amicably. He said retaining the property jointly will always cause problems since they have perpetually been in disagreement. “At a point, we even asked if he would buy the property.”
Quoting the bible, Olubunmi said “Two can only work together if they are in agreement.” He nevertheless condemned the attempt to illegally acquire the property by the Omonile and their lawyer and the buyer.
Land was on lease – counsel to the Eletu-Odibo family
But responding to the whole saga, Oyewo A. B. Esq, head of Kobomoje Chambers, representing the faction of the Eletu Odibo family who are after the land, said there is no iota of truth in the stories being bandied by Oluwole Lofinmakin.
Speaking in a brief interview at his office situated at 104, Lewis Street, Lagos Island, Oyewo said, the whole of the lands at Abule oja were on lease, which necessitated the take-over, due to expiration of lease.
“We actually wanted to go to court to enforce our rights, but the family agreed to willingly surrender the lease and get compensated, which was what happened.
Asked if he was aware that the Lagos State task force on anti-land-grabbing last Wednesday ruled that Oluwole Lofinmakin should take possession of the disputed land, the lawyer said he and his clients do not have confidence in the panel and its chairman, hence the decision not to attend Wednesday’s hearing.
“We wrote to the governor that the chairman is biased and we know we cannot get justice with him. So we are not party to whatever ruling he might have delivered. In any case, the case is in court now. We have filed a suit at the High Court and we shall all take it up from there.” Oyewo finished off.