The plaintiffs, who are the alleged owners of the property in which the library and other private properties are located, are now asking the Federal High Court sitting in Ogun state to return their land to them. According to Vanguard, the plaintiffs in the matter include Chiefs Benjamin Ogunbona, Akeem Taoreed, Gbenga Amos, Dele Taiwo, Musiliu Oyegunle on behalf of Ijeun Lukosi community of Ogun state. The community is demanding that the court reverse the ownership of the land to them as the bona-fide owners, since it’s no longer used for the original purpose of the acquisition but shared to private individuals. The baale of community, Chief Benjamin Ogunbona, in a 50-paragraph affidavit in support of the motion, claimed that Ogun state government compulsorily acquired the land in 1976 for the purpose of building the state secretariat complex, but did not use it for that purpose re-allocating it to individuals for private use. Ogunbona noted that after pressure was mounted on the government, it excised 33.253 hectares out of the land to the community in 2011, but did not pay any compensation to the people of Ijeun-Lukosi community for the compulsory acquisition of their land as provided by law.
He said: “Our land measured approximately 178.89 hectares, which amounted to 444.52 Acres of land from time immemorial and we have exercised undisturbed act of ownership on same without let or hindrance from any quarters until 1976 when the newly created Ogun State government compulsorily acquired part of our land.” The government in its response, confirmed the acquisition of the land by Ogun state government in 1976. It however contended that the land was validly acquired, crops properly enumerated and the compensation deposited with the Bureau of Lands and Survey a long time ago. The matter has been adjourned to March, 23, 2017.
Meanwhile, Naij.com has reports that Governor Ayodele Fayose has shocked Nigerians with the revelation that former President Olusegun forced him and others to donate N10 million each to his presidential library. Fayose asked the former president to refund his own part of the donation for the construction of the library that was commissioned recently as part of the activities to mark Obasanjo’s 80th birthday. He even wants the refund with interest. The Nigerian Tribune reports that Fayose said this while speaking at the opening of South-west Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders meeting in Ado Ekiti on Monday, March 6, 2017.
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