Emmanuel Thomas l Wednesday, May 24,2017
MAGODO, Lagos, Nigeria – The Shangisha Landlords Association has reacted to statement credited to Commissioner for Information, Lagos State, Mr. Steve Ayorinde to the effect that the Lagos State Government is negotiating with it in regards the writ of possession of 16th March 2017, directing the association to reposes the 549 plots in Magodo Scheme II, illegally taken from the affected families since 1988.
In a statement, Chairman of the association, Chief Adebayo Adeyiga said the utterance of the commissioner shows how Lagos State Government has relegated the rule of law and ridiculed the judgement of the Supreme Court with ignominy.
He said the association is however on the side of rule of law, stressing that whatever action taken by the Lagos State Government to prevent execution of the judgement is tantamount to obstruction and perversion of justice that will be addressed by affected authorities.
According to him, the only way out is for the judgement debtors and their agents, (Magodo Residents Association) to reach out to the judgement creditors( Shangisha Landlords Association) and rectify their title and concede all unoccupied parcell of land to the creditors.
See full text below.
SHANGISHA LANDLORDS’ ASSOCIATION
1, Moshood Street, Ikosi – Ketu, Lagos.
PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE POSITION OF SHANGISHA LANDLORDS ASSOCIATION IN RE: SUIT NO 1D795/88 ADEBAYO ADEYIGA & 6 OTHERS VS MILITARY GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE & 4 OTHERS
We are privileged to react to Press release by Lagos State Government through their commissioner of information Chief Steve Ayorinde on the adjudged land in the Shangisha Village Scheme later called Magodo Scheme II in Kosofe Area of Lagos State.
We are hereby telling the Nigerian Public that there is no single iota of truth in all he presented to the Nigeria Public on behalf of the Noble State of Excellence. There was no meeting or negotiation between us and Lagos State Government or its Agents since the National Judicial Council directed the Chief Justice of Lagos State (HON. JUSTICE OLUFUNMILAYO ATILADE) to give us authority to possess the Magodo Scheme II land through her writ of possession of 16th March 2017, which the Lagos State Government prevented her from signing for over five years. That shows how Lagos has relegated the rule of law and ridiculed the judgment /orders of the Supreme Court of Nigeria with ignominy.
We are on the side of the rule of law. Whatever action the Lagos State Government is taking to prevent the execution of the judgment is tantamount to obstruction and perversion of Justice and that will be addressed by the authorities concerned.
Gentlemen of the Press, most of you know the facts of this case more than us. But we will restate the facts because of Nigeria Public and for those that constituted themselves as illegal allottees who are learned, wealthy, affluent even including many Judges.
FACTS OF THE CASE;
The case ID/795/88 was instituted on June 1988 by the Shangisha Landlords’ Association led by Chief Adebayo Adeyiga & 6 others who were authorized by an order of the trial court made by Hon. Justice W.A. Oshodi for the said chairman and 6 other members to do their case in representative capacity on behalf of all other members. Our Solicitor (BARR. H. A. OGIREN) who is in charge of the enforcement told us and we verily believed him that; the said order made since 21/11/1988 has not been set aside and such it remains sacrosanct. And no other persons can be seen to be negotiating with the judgment debtors outside the donee of the said order. He further said that the judgment against Lagos State Government is binding on all persons particularly the members of the MRA who were aware of this case while it was on appeal but decided to buy the said land/piece of litigation contrary to the principle of Les Pendis and as privy to the case derived their title from the said judgment debtors. He submitted with chronicles of SCN authorities that these persons must be treated like the judgment debtors as one and the same persons.
0n 19th October 1992 the trail court granted an interlocutory injunctive order by Hon Justice A.L.A.L Balogun (of blessed memory) restraining the Lagos State Government and their servants, privies and assigns (now judgment debtors) from doing anything on the said land pending the final determination of the said case. Contrary to the said order the Lagos State Government continues to sell, allocate and were doing everything they like on the land which explain the presence of some trespassers/contemnors who claimed to be members of the Magodo Residents Association (MRA).
On Dec 31 1993, a mandatory Judgment was given by the trial judge Hon. Justice A.L.A.L Balogun to the effects that the Shangisha Landlords’ Association should be allocated, 549 plots in Shangisha/Magodo Scheme II. This allocation should be on first choice preferential allocation, if possible to the original plot of each member. This made the judgment creditors to be entitled to 549 plots of land at the said Shangisha village Scheme now known as Magodo Scheme II aforesaid.
On March 16 1994, Hon. Rosaline Omotosho gave an order of barring the parties as well as their agents, privies, servants or assigns, from going on the said land. She declared all allocations and all certificate of occupancies that have been issued on the land, illegal, null, void and barred the Lagos State Government from issuing further instruments in respect of all the land now known as Magodo Scheme II. She expressed her displeasure over wanton disobedience of rule of law by Lagos State government, civil servants and other executive officers of the state.
On October 9 1999 Justice Hon. Akinola Aguda at his tribunal sitting on visiting Magodo with the land officials, Justice Ministry Officials and the members of the Shangisha Landlords’ Association warned the land developers in Shangisha/Magodo Scheme II and Ikosi Q.R.A to stop development until the matter would be disposed off at the Appellate Courts.
The Judgment Debtors instead of complying with the judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in this case rather they started arresting members of Shangisha Landlords’ Association with police and touts and sometimes macheting our members. The Chairman of our Association (CHIEF ADEBAYO ADEYIGA) was thrown from his Storey building home, beating to a state of coma and his right eye pluck out with the barrel of their assailant gun and reduced the one time handsome man to a disabled, while his biological father who was living with him was beaten to death, this made his beloved wife to runaway from him and deserted her sweet matrimonial home to be living in abroad like an outcast.
Gentleman of the press after the Association Victory at the Supreme Court of Nigeria, not minding our victory, we tried all methods known in conflict resolution including auditing the remaining lands, having several meetings with one time Attorney General and Solicitor General (Mr Ade Ipaye and Lawal Pedro) all to no avail. They said the Scheme is not designed for poor people, the Supreme Court of Nigeria lambasted, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem and warned against the refusal of Lagos State Government to comply with the judgment/order of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
On June 2nd 2016, the A-G Lagos State on behalf of the Judgment Creditors; invited us to a meeting where we gave him memorandum for settlement, he just slept over it. Instead the Lagos State Government organized two groups of people to do everything to destroy the writ of possession as ordered by the NJC.
In August 2016, we wrote Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to step into the matter, copying Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akinolu (Oba in Council).
Governor Akinwumi Ambode just threw our letter into waste paper basket.
Gentlemen of the press we are here supplying this write up so that you can elucidate more facts for the consumption of entire Nigerians.
Therefore anybody who is now working against the writ of possession and execution of the judgment is obstructing the rule of law of Nigeria.
Hence Mr. Steve Ayorinde should stop feeding Nigerians with false information that did not emanate from the Association sauce. Let chief Steve Ayorinde tell the world whether the Lagos State Government and their illegal allottees are greater than the Nigerian law.
The Supreme Court (the Oracle) has spoken and the National Judicial Council has capped it all. Governor Akinwumi Ambode and his Attorney General should be advised to leave the police alone to carry out their constitutional duties.
THE KNOT OF DISAGREEMENT/BONE OF CONTENTION;
It is unfortunate that the judgment debtors have suggested allocation of alternative land which does not seem to be reasonable and contrary to the judgment of the SCN which decided only on the said Shangisha village scheme land now known as Magodo Scheme II aforesaid. How can the Lagos State Government (Judgment Debtors) suggests that the Judgment creditors should allow their illegal benefactors/trespassers/contemnors who claimed to be members of the Magodo Residents Association (MRA). who build their houses in contempt of the interlocutory order granted by the court of competent jurisdiction to remain on the adjudged land while the Judgment Creditors who ought to be entitled to the fruit of their judgment, are advised to vacate the said land for another alternative land which they must have deceptively collected from other families/community in the name of overriding public interest. It is like saying, that the owner of a stolen goat be forced to live the goat for the thief because the latter is rich and he is a prince of an affluent king.
THE WAY OUT
The only way out is for the Judgment debtors and their agent/privies i.e the Magodo Residents Association (MRA) to reach the Landlord Association of Shangisha/ Magodo (Judgment creditors) to enable them rectify their title with the Judgment creditors or in the alternative let them concede all the unoccupied parcel of land and landed properties to meet the judgment land of 549 plots.
Thank you for your attention;
FOR; SHANGISHA LANDLORDS’ ASSOCIATION
CHIEF ADEBAYO ADEYIGA
CHAIRMAN.
