….Beg MKO Abiola’s families to settle rift immediately to avoid bloodshed
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
lagos—For the umpteenth time, residents of 400 acres of land in Abiola Farms, Ayobo, located at Igbo Ilogbo, Ayobo, Ipaja-Ayobo Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Lagos State, comprising of seven Community Development Associations, have called on relevant authorities to come to their aid as their lives were under daily threat from hoodlums who invaded their community recently.
The disputed land, the residents claimed belong to Radio Communication Nigeria, RCN, Limited, owned by late Philanthropist, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale, MKO, Abiola. The company is chaired by MKO’s first son, Kola Abiola.
Fresh crisis broke out recently within MKO’s families over legal battle on the true ownership of the land in Ayobo between RCN, Limited and some section of the family.
Earlier, some members of the late Abiola’s family had publicly, disclosed their readiness to enforce a court judgment of March 14, 2019 that confers ownership of the over 400 acres of land at Igbo-Ilogbo in Ayobo, Lagos, on the late business mogul, MKO Abiola and called on all tenants to come forward for regularization of their titles or risk ejection.
However, the Chairman of RCN, who incidentally, is the first son of late MKO, Kola Abiola had described the claim and moves by the warring party in the family, as ‘fraudulent’ exercise.
Addressing the media on behalf of seven Community Development Associations that made up the Abiola Farms, Mr. Richard Balogun, Chairman and Vice Chairman, Alhaji Ganiyu Dosunmu of the Golden Estate Landlord Association, who led a public demonstration at the weekend in the area, stressed that immediate intervention of the state government and relevant authorities became necessary to forestall bloodletting, as well as destruction of properties.
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According to Balogun who had earlier sent petition to relevant authorities: ”We residents in Abiola Farm, Ayobo, which comprised of about seven CDAs, who are currently land owners who had before now enjoyed peaceable possession of our respective lands and properties thereon having purchased same from RCM Limited who is the rightful owner and person entitled to the possession of the entire vast area of land with ‘ Plan No. R144 dated 25th March, 1977 with Deed of Conveyance, dated 28th March, 1977 and registered as No. 24 at Page 24 in Volume 1620 at the Land Registry office, in Lagos.
“However, on the 14th March, 2019, at about 9: am in the morning the relative peace of the community was shattered when Sheriffs of the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Division in company of yet to be identitied hoodlums and street urchins popularly known as Area Boys invaded the entire Community brandishing dangerous weapons and stinking of alcohol and sending panic into the hearts of the residents under the guise of enforcing a judgment of an Ikeja High Court between RCN Limited V. Alhaji Aliu Afariogun.”