AFTER 19 years of a protracted intra-family legal struggle over a prime Lagos Island land valued at N300b, a Lagos High Court last week held that the controversial property belongs to the Oyekan royal family of Lagos State.Members of the Esimikan families had hitherto been neck-deep in the battle of supremacy over the choice land, initiated by a section of a family.But the judgment, which dismissed the claim of the plaintiffs, held the submission of the defendants in the almost 2 decade suit.The disputed Island property located in an area known as Ilado-Odo and Inagbe and founded by Esimikan comprises almost 2,000 acres of beach and lagoon and is valued at N300 billion.But as at press time, it could not be confirm whether the losers at the lower court will or had appealed the findings of the trial court.The defendants in the suit are late Oba Adeyinka Oyekan II, Prince Mobadenle Oyekan, Alabi Dosumu, Mufutau Tadeyo, Mr. E.O. Williams, Mrs. O. Oregbesan and Adesoji Ajose.Others are Chieftaincy Committee, Ojo Local Government Area, Chieftaincy Committee, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs, Military Administrator of Lagos State and Attorney-General of Lagos State.The trial judge, who is also the Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Inumidun Akande in her judgment ordered the arrest and prosecution of one of the claimants, Rasheed Olushesi for illegal occupying the position of baale of the disputed islands since 2004.Delivering the judgment, Justice Akande said Olushesi having told the court during trial that he had no documents backing his position as the baale of Ilado-Odo and Inagbe Islands since 2004 committed an offence contrary to Section 23(1) of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Lagos State.She subsequently ordered the Attorney-General of Lagos State to prosecute him for the alleged criminal offence.The claimants, Olushesi, Prince Waidi Akeju and Adisa Waheed Aberuagba for themselves and as Head and representatives of the Esimikan had dragged the defendants to court on April 21, 1995 asking the court to amongst others declare that the 1st to 7th defendants are not members of the Esimikan Family of Ilado'Odo.The claimants in their amended statement of claim dated the November 24,1998 sought seventeen prayers, asking the court to declare that all the parcel of land known as Ilado-Odo and Inagbe Islands are the property of the Esimikan Family of Ilado'Odo and Inagbe who are entitled to the title, general control and superintendence thereof.They also sought: 'An Injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, servants, privies, assigns or otherwise howsoever from entering into, trespassing upon or in any other manner interfering with all that land known as Ilado ' Odo and Inagbe Islands.'An injunction restraining the 1st-7th defendants, their agents, servants, privies and assigns or otherwise howsoever from representing, parading or otherwise holding themselves out as members of the Esimikan Family of Ilado-Odo and Inagbe Islands.'However, Justice Akande held that: ' having considered the submissions of counsel to the defendants, Abureme Osara and that of the claimants, Rotimi Aladesanmi, the claimants failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that they are true descendants of Esimikan, the first settler on the disputed islands, Ilado-Odo and Inagbe.She held that the claim of the claimants failed in its entirety and were accordingly dismissed for lack of merit with costs of N500, 000 awarded in favour of the first-seventh defendants.The court also awarded N250.000 against the claimants in favour of the first-seventh defendants for succeeding in their counter-claims.
Click here to read full news..
