Baale Seeks Lagos Govt’s Intervention to Access Land in Magodo
Baale of Idiorogbo Ibaragun, in Magodo, Lagos, Kolawole Rasaki Olowooto has urged the state government to stop the Gateway Estate officials from denying them access to their land.
During a protest at Madogo, the Baale who also doubles as the spokesperson for the family said though they initially owned the land, as soon as they gave it out for the construction of the estate, they were denied access to their land beyond the estate. He said there was a road leading to the land long before the estate.
He accused the estate of demanding acres of land and huge sums as a condition to accessing their land.
The community leader said they had reported the matter to the Area H of the Lagos Command, Nigeria Police and the House of Assembly but that nothing came of it.
“We want the government to help us. We need to access our land,” he said.
A representative of the Ojoko family in Isheri-Magodo, Mr. Bisoye Badiah, wondered why the estate leadership would deny them the only access to their land. He said their fathers gave the land on which the estate was built to the landlords.
He admitted that initially, things went on smoothly until the current administrators of the estate, he alleged that the estate officials chased away those they sold land to and gave them a wrong impression of the area.
“We are appealing to the state government to intervene in the matter so that they can allow us access to our land,” he said, adding: “This is the only road to our land. You can’t deprive the family that granted you access to have properties not to allow the same access to the remaining plots.”
When Castles Lifestyle Magazine called the contact number of the estate address on the internet, the person who answered the call but doesn’t want his name mentioned said he’s not an official of the estate and that he’s not aware of the allegation.