A long-running and complex legal battle over the true ownership of a vast expanse of land in Akodo, within the Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State, has triggered a strong warning to prospective buyers.
The warning was issued in a statement jointly signed by the Alakodo of Ibeju Land, Oba Abdul-Hakeem Olokodano; Prince Kehinde Jamiu Hassan; Prince Nojibu Idowu Hassan and Prince Balogun Olalekan.
Oba Olumoye Oniwonlu Abejoye Royal Family, who describe themselves as the original owners of the land, cautioned members of the public against purchasing any portion of Akodo land, noting that the title remains the subject of multiple ongoing court cases.
The family stressed that the ownership of Akodo land remains subject to the final determination of all pending cases.
“Any buyer who ignores this warning risks purchasing nothing and may ultimately be evicted by the rightful owners,” the family stated.
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The Oba Olumoye family insisted that a Court of Appeal judgment or consent judgment was not conclusive proof of ownership, adding that there were pending legal challenges.
A representative of the family said: “The entire peace arrangement between the Ogbeni family and the Akodo Community has collapsed.”
The dispute, according to the family, has degenerated into physical confrontations.
The ownership dispute involves no fewer than 16 prominent families – Oba Olumoye Oniwonlu Abejoye, Kejibo Elejide, Ogunlaja, Ogbeni, Abdullahi Baba Egbe, Oluwo, Ilelaboye, Ogedengbe, Ajibike, Ogbe. Ogele, Iya Agba/Baba Dudu, Ota, Oguntolu, Oloro, Eruobodo and Ijabejo, as well as several real estate companies, all laying claim to different portions of the Akodo territory.
The legal entanglement dates back several decades and is rooted in judgments delivered by the Supreme Court in the 1920s, specifically in 1925 and 1928. These historic rulings covered parts of Akodo land, including Tiye, Idasho and Eemu/Erumu areas.
The depth of the crisis could be seen in the number of unresolved lawsuits currently before the Lagos State High Courts.
One of such cases is Suit No. EPD/8283/LMW/2019 was instituted by descendants of Oba Olumoye Oniwonlu against 16 families and some real estate companies. The suit challenged the ownership claims of other families, including the Ogbeni family.
Although the Court of Appeal judgment in Suit No. CA/L/1082/2014 appeared to favour the Ogbeni family and others against some person called Akodo community, the decision was later compromised and resolved through a consent judgment in Suit No. LD/2861GCM/2018.
The consent judgment reportedly declared the Akodo land communal property and apportioned ownership between the Ogbeni family (55 per cent) and the Akodo Community (45 per cent).
However, the Oba Olumoye Oniwonlu Abejoye Family maintained that the consent judgment does not bind them, as they were not parties to the agreement.
The Oba Olumoye Oniwonlu Abejoye family had also joined ongoing suits marked LD/6040/2014, EPD/7972LMW/2019 and EPD/9892LMW/2020 initiated by the Oluwo family, Eruobodo family and Idris and Jegede Chieftaincy (Abdullahi Baba Egbe) family and others, to assert a counterclaim to the ownership of the entire Akodo land.
In another related case, Suit No. EPD/2171LMW/2016, instituted by the Kejibo-Elejide family against the Amure family and others, the Oba Olumoye Oniwonlu Abejoye Royal family has equally entered the proceedings to counterclaim ownership of a parcel of land known as Igi Aba Village Excision, Akodo.
On the implications for investors, Kunle Alabi, a legal analyst familiar with land disputes in Lagos, warned of the grave risks involved.
“Once a land title is sub-judice, that is, under judicial consideration, any transaction carried out on such land is vulnerable to being nullified by a subsequent court decision,” he explained.