The Iposu Chieftaincy family cried out to seek for government and public intervention over the encroachment of their landed property by the Oloja Of Epe land Oba kamorudeen Animashaun. The family lamented that their members and those working on their land were injured yesterday by the thugs mobilized by the former Epe Local Government council boss Mr Segun Agbaje.
According to the Secretary of the family Mr Iposu Sharafadeen who spoke with our correspondent narrated the full story about the real ownership of the land, he said the land was inherited from their forefathers who happened to be a staunch follower of King Kosoko of Lagos, it was in 1851 chief Iposu and some other chiefs accompanied him to Epe. As a prominent chief under king Kosoko, he took possession of some lands using it for farming and fishing. Immediately King Kosoko left Epe in the year 1852, chief Iposu became the chief ruler of the whole Epe. He ruled Epe from 1853 to 1875 before he died in 1875.
After the death of Chief Iposu, the entire land became vested in the hand of the family, since then the family have been in full possession of the land not until 1927 when a man called Otafade Odofin challenged the family member on the ownership of the land, the issue was taken to court in the same 1927 then in 1931 the court ruled in favor of the family. The court affirmed it that the family is the genuine owner of the land. As the true owner of the land the family sold some piece of lands and also lease some to individuals and corporate bodies.
It was based on the magnanimity of the family that we donated some piece lands for the building of Epe General hospital in 1954, we also lease land for Julius Berger Nigeria limited for some years before the family took possession of the land back. The family also leased land for Western Nigeria government, it was the land they used in building the Plywood industry. The family also lease land for Lagos State Ministry Of Agriculture. The family have been exercising full ownership of the land since then.
In 1971 some persons came again to challenge the family over the ownership of the land, the issue was taken to court, the court ruled in favor of the family. They were not satisfied with the court judgment, they went to appeal court, we still came out victoriously in 1977. They were not still satisfied with the decision of the Appeal court. The case was taken to Supreme court, the case was then decided finally by supreme court in 1982. The court ruled in favour of Iposu Chieftaincy family. That was the last judgement confirming Iposu Chieftaincy family as the genuine owner of the land. After the supreme court verdict the family have been in full possession of the land. We have evidence of different court judgement.
Sharafadeen said the tussle over the ownership of the land began again in 2001 when the present Oloja of Epe land Oba kamorudeen Animashaun claimed to be the owner of the land, saying the land belongs to him. He began to encroach on the land of the family not just this one we are fighting over, there are lands too that he sold without the backing of the family members. At first we reported the case to Epe Divisional Police station, we also informed the Zone 2 office of Nigeria police force in other to get the full police backup.
Despite the police intervention, they told us to maintain status quo but Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun refused to yield to advise of Nigeria Police Force. He kept selling the land of the family. We then seek for advice from our lawyers, we were told to legally take full possession of the land because unoccupied land cannot be free from trespassers, that was the reason why we the family came out to initiate a project on the land. Some months ago we tried to fence the land.
Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun mobilized thugs to our land, our family members and those working were injured, it was the prompt response of Nigeria Police that calm the situation, if not it would have been escalated. His predecessor also tried it Oba Sadiku Gbabere, we took him to court, court delivered judgement in our favour, he was ordered to pay us damages, we still have the evidence of the money he paid to our family. The payment connotes that our family is the real owner of the land.
Mr Sharafadeen explained that the same scenario occured yesterday again when Mr Segun Agbaje the former Epe Local Government Chairman came to the site to make enquiry about what is happening on the land, we intimate him about what we are trying to do, he left the site without telling us his mission. He came back with armed thugs, they destroy the fence that was erected and also injured our people and our family members, we immediately call the police for protection. Our family is fully ready to take possession of the land as advised by our family legal practitioners. The Oloja Of Epe land Oba kamorudeen Animashaun have been on the neck of our family members, tormenting our family members over the ownership of the land, he kept mobilizing thugs to claim the ownership of our land. He is a threat to the entire family members.
Sharafadeen said that the family want to use this copious medium to inform the general public that the fight over the ownership of land is between the Iposu Chieftaincy family and the Oloja of Epe land Oba kamorudeen Animashaun, it’s not a community fight as earlier tagged by some persons that the fight is between the two communities in Epe I.e Eko Epe and Ijebu Epe. The Iposu Chieftaincy family is only challenging those who are encroaching on their land. We are law abiding citizens, we will always abide by the constitution of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria in other to take what belongs to our family.
We beckon on the general public to help us tell the trespassers to leave our land for us, the Iposu Chieftaincy family is the true owner of the land. The below documents authenticate the true owner of the land, there are numerous court verdict in favour of the Iposu Chieftaincy family most especially the supreme verdict of 1982.
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