In response to allegations of land grabbing, the Ogun State House of Assembly has passed a resolution urging the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade SAN, to prosecute Oba Taofeek Kayode Owolabi, the Olu of Obafemi in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area. This is to be done in accordance with the state Anti-Land Grabbing Law of 2016 and other relevant laws.
Additionally, the Assembly has instructed the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs along with the State Council of Obas to suspend the monarch for engaging in activities that could disrupt the peace of the residents of Agboro-Olatunde village and the state in general.
The resolution was passed following a report presented by the House Committees on Justice, Ethics, and Public Petitions, which stemmed from petitions lodged by the Agboro Olatunde Community Development Association against the monarch.
During the session, Vice-Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Tella Babatunde, delivered the report and proposed its adoption. The motion was seconded by Hon Segun Kaka and approved unanimously by the entire House.
The statement released reads, “Subsequently, Majority Leader Yusuf Sheriff proposed converting the Committee’s recommendations into the House resolution, a motion seconded by Minority Leader Lukman Adeleye and supported by the entire House through a unanimous voice vote.”
The report stated, “Based on the allegations raised by the petitioners and the non-appearance of the respondent before the House to address the issues, the Committee conducted an on-site assessment of the disputed land and made the following observations.
“A land dispute exists between the residents of Agboro-Olatunde Village and Oba Taofeek Kayode Owolabi (The Olu of Obafemi) in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.”
“The Monarch, accused of land grabbing, brought in a developer to Agboro-Olatunde Village. As a result, over 30 hectares of land belonging to village residents were cleared, and cash crops worth millions of naira were destroyed by the respondent.”
“The Monarch could not provide any registered or non-registered title documents for the disputed land, and his actions are in violation of Ogun State’s Anti-Land Grabbing Law of 2016.”