Legal war over Akodoland deepens as courts weigh in

By Innocent Anaba

LAGOS — 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 by the Alakodo of Ibeju Land, Oba Abdul-Hakeem Olokodano; Prince Kehinde Hassan; Prince Nojibu Hassan and Prince Balogun Olalekan

The Oba Olumoye Abejoye Royal Family, who describe themselves as the original owners of the land, had 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 ownership dispute involves no fewer than 16 prominent families: Oba Olumoye Abejoye, Kejibo Elejide, Ogunlaja, Ogbeni, Abdullahi 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 lay 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 the 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 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 Akodo land communal property and apportioned ownership between the Ogbeni family (55 percent) and the Akodo Community (45 percent).

However, the Oba Abejoye Family maintained that the consent judgment does not bind them, as they were not parties to the agreement.

The Oba 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 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 Abejoye Royal family has equally entered the proceedings to counterclaim ownership of a parcel of land known as Igi Aba Village Excision, Akodo.

The Oba Olumoye family further alleged that the Ogbeni family and the Akodo Community, represented by the late Baale of Akodo, Chief Adebayo Mutafiu Ogunlaja, are misleading the public by presenting the Court of Appeal judgment or misrepresenting the consent judgment as conclusive proof of ownership, without disclosing the existence of pending legal challenges.

“The entire peace arrangement between the Ogbeni family and the Akodo Community has collapsed,” a representative of the Oba Olumoye Oniwonlu Abejoye family said.

The dispute, according to the family, has degenerated into physical confrontations involving land grabbers, popularly known as omo-onile, in blatant disregard of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s directive prohibiting self-help in land matters.

Speaking on the implications for investors, Kunle Alabi, a lawyer 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.

Reiterating their caution, the Oba Abejoye Royal families stressed that the ownership of Akodo land remains subject to the final determination of all pending cases.

“Any buyer who ignores these warning risks purchasing nothing and may ultimately be evicted by the rightful owners,” the family stated.

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