Lagos Landowners Sitting on Keg of Gunpowder – Akin Afolabi

Theroyal Time 4 years ago 2 min read

Daniel Ojukwu and Akeem Oduyoye

Landowners in Lagos and some parts of Ogun states may need to authenticate Certificates of Ownership and pay outstanding debts owed to the “rightful owners” of lands they now occupy “illegally”. This is according to the chairman of Adamakin Investment & Works Ltd., Akin Afolabi.

The estate manager, on Friday, said events, surveys and a court ruling which predate the amalgamation of Nigeria all point to one ultimate rightful owner of all lands in Lagos, stretching as far as parts of Abeokuta.

While speaking with theroyaltimes.com, he said the lands were acquired and procured legally by the Late Iyalode Efunroye Tinubu before her demise in 1887.

According to history, the late Efunroye Tinubu had been a wealthy royal Lagos occupant up until the late 19th century, and even after her husband’s death in 1833, she expanded her territory by purchasing the Ewe Agbigbo/Iwaya farmlands owned by the Oloto’s with 200 bags of cowries, 200 pieces of kolanuts, ten slaves and a live ram a year after.

The graduate of Physics, who still manages her estate until now, said the disputes arose as a result of Efunroye’s lack of offsprings which meant her slaves illegally claimed the lands they had been given to farm on while she was alive.

“No document was prepared at the time Efunroye bought Oloto’s land because printing press had not come into Nigeria yet. It was until 1854 before printing began,” Afolabi added.

A survey conducted by Herbert Macaulay in 1910 and tendered as exhibit in court in 1912 confirms Efunroye’s claim to the lands, and Afolabi also asserts that his company has the “red copy” of her estate which is valid proof of her claim to all lands in Lagos and its environs.

On what it means for Lagos landowners and tenants, he said there is need for a retracing of steps as anyone can claim ownership of land anywhere, but it was up to the lawyers of the buying parties to authenticate their claim.

Over 70 land dispute cases have already been filed against “illegal land ownership claims” as Afolabi attempts to reclaim the lands owned by Efunroye and recoup years of lost funds paid to descendants of the slave families who he says occupied unlawfully.