Olumoye Royal Family Sues Lagos Government, Traditional Rulers Over Tiye Land

The High Court of Lagos State sitting in the Epe Judicial Division is handling a major land dispute over an 855.88-hectare stretch of land known as Tiye in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.

The case, filed under Suit No. EPD/11089LMW/2021, was instituted by members of the Oba Olumoye Oniwonlu Abejoye Royal Family of Akodo, who are claiming customary ownership of the entire territory extending from Akodo and Erumu to the Atlantic Ocean.

The claimants, Prince Abdul-Hakeem Olokodana, Kehinde Jamiu Hassan, Nojibu Idowu Hassan and Olalekan Balogun, brought the action on behalf of themselves and other members of the Oba Olumoye Royal Family.

Among the traditional rulers and community figures listed as defendants are the Oloja Ekun (Oba) of Epe Land, HRM Oba Kamarudeen Ishola Animashaun, the Baale of Tiye, Chief Kayode Rauf Mustapha, as well as members of the Kejibo Elejide family of Tiye.

The suit also names Lekki Worldwide Investments Limited, Lekki Free Zone Development Company Limited and the Attorney General of Lagos State as defendants. The Lekki Free Zone Development Company is described in the court filings as involving the Chinese consortium CCECC-Beyond International Investment & Development Company Limited.

In their amended statement of claim, filed on November 9, 2023, following an order issued by Justice S. A. Olaitan, the royal family traced its claim to the history of Oba Olumoye, identified as the ninth Onibeju of Ibeju, who reigned between 1755 and 1774.

The claimants maintained that Oba Olumoye originally settled the Tiye area for his wife, Yeye, who established a salt-making enterprise on the land. According to their account, the salt business attracted workers and customary tenants from Epe, whose descendants are now among those named in the case.

The royal family also relied on historical court decisions and administrative records to support its claim to the land. Among the authorities cited was a 1920 judgment delivered by Acting Chief Judge A. R. Penington and Suit No. 85 of 1925, which the claimants said recognised the tenants of Tiye as customary tenants under Onibeju Adesalu.

The claimants further referred to a 1933 administrative report prepared by District Officer E. J. Gibbons, saying that local Baales acknowledged the Onibeju as their customary overlord over the territory.

According to the claimants, the Lagos State Government acquired the larger area in 1993 without serving the royal family with the required notice or paying compensation for the alleged acquisition.

They further alleged that in 1997, the government excised 22.469 hectares from the disputed territory and allocated it to the Tiye community. The family also claimed that substantial portions of the ancestral land were subsequently granted to Lekki Worldwide Investments Limited and the Lekki Free Zone Development Company without its consent.

The claimants are represented by Broad Swing Partners and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wale Adesokan.

In their reliefs before the court, they are asking for declarations recognising their statutory right of occupancy over the 855.88 hectares covered by Survey Plan No. FOD/2277/070/2019/LA.

They are also seeking an order forfeiting the defendants’ alleged customary tenancy, an order granting them immediate possession of the land and an order setting aside the alleged government acquisitions.

The royal family is further asking the court to permanently restrain the defendants from selling, transferring, allocating or otherwise dealing with the disputed land and is demanding ₦5 million in damages.

The defendants will have the opportunity to present their respective responses and legal positions as the court considers the competing claims to ownership, customary title, government acquisition and subsequent dealings involving the Tiye land.

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