A group, Omo Eko Pataki, a forum of prominent indigenes of Lagos, has announced plans to reclaim their ancestral lands.

The move follows the Ojora Royal Family and Council’s recent court-ordered acquisition of the grounds housing the Delta State government’s Lagos State liaison office at Plot 235/237, Moshood Abiola Way (old Apapa Road), Ijora, Lagos.

The organization committed to returning Lagos families’ lands across the states in a statement signed by Major-General Tajudeen Olanrewaju (retd), the trustee of the Omo Eko Pataki and a former Minister of Communications.

According to the Tribune, Omo Eko Pataki asserts that some heritage and monument sites sold and taken over for non-public purposes and other interests will be retrieved and given to the appropriate families and local authorities.

The group said:

“Rightful landowners are reclaiming what is rightfully theirs in a state that has been dubbed, ‘no man’s land.

“It of historical significance to note that the Idejo class, sometimes known as land owners, is one of Lagos’ four traditional chiefs. In the history of the early Eko chieftaincy families, there were ten of them. This class now has a few more members.”

List of areas targeted for repossession

In the statement from the group, areas were listed as belonging to families.

The Awori Obas The group said have proprietary rights to the lands in:

• Onigbogbo

• Ewu

• Ikeja

• Agege

• Alimosho

• Ojo/Badagry axis

• and part of Lagos East Senatorial District.

Other areas marked for repossession

The group also listed other areas marked for repossession:

“The old colonial City Hall in Campbell Street which used to be the official office of the first Mayor of Lagos, the Falomo Shopping Centre on Awolowo Road Ikoyi and the famous Glover Street/Kingsway Road junction residency of colonial administration that were pulled down for non-public purposes and other interests are examples of inappropriate priorities.”

Arguments for repossession

The group also claimed that landowners and chieftaincy families have enormous power and responsibility in allocating lands to family leaders, immigrants, settlers, and others.

It stressed that traditional leaders are crucial to land administration in Lagos State due to their traditional duties and ownership.

It said:

“It is undeniable that land tenure agreements penetrated the interaction between colonial-era administration and chieftaincy families who allocated property for public use.”

“Various mechanisms and arrangements were created that ensured the return of such leases to their original owners when the lease agreements expired. Many of the leasehold agreements on which certain developments have been built will revert to the original owners in a few years.

“More of this will be seen in judicial rulings resulting in recovery from individuals, states, federal governments, and institutions. Then, it will be essential that court-ordered recovery will shed a bright light on the genuine ownerships of Eko land.”

“Some heritage and monument sites that have been sold and taken over would be retrieved and returned to the appropriate families and local authorities.”

Nigerians react

Paul Chukwu said:

“Indigenes of Abuja will reclaim their land, Indigenes of every town in Nigeria will do same. We will praise God for making the Restructuring easy, and Nigeria will be history.”

Benjamin Enemona Victor writes:

“Don’t they have Claim of ownership certificate.? Land use act, all land belongs to federal government…. Has the narrative change?

Charles Ifeanyi Okolo said:

“Not true ,the land belongs to the buyer”