The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, on Tuesday inaugurated a five-member committee to address land grabbing and related crimes.
The panel, which is mandated to tackle the issue from a legal standpoint, includes Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Niyi Akintola and Musibau Adetunbi, alongside Yinka Okunade, Rahman AbdulRaheem, and Tunji Thomas.
Ladoja, in a statement by his media aide, Adeola Oloko, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Wednesday, gave the committee “an express permission to co-opt anybody from any profession, including town planning, survey, security agencies, the bar and bench who could assist in giving them sufficient greenlight to fight the scourge.”
The fifth member, Adetunbi, SAN, was in the court at the time of the inauguration, which had in attendance the members of the Olubadan-in-council.
Lubadan said both the State Government and the Olubadan-in-Council were on the same page in ridding Ibadan of the menace of land grabbing.
“Land grabbing is like an interlocking web of complex connections involving diverse interests that need to be unravelled.
“I know each of you very well. While we entertain no illusion as to the gravity of your responsibility, I have no doubt in my mind that you have the capacity to carry out the responsibility,” he affirmed.
He further told the committee to hit the ground running, giving them twenty-one days within which to make its recommendations.
Ladoja, however, clarified that the inauguration of the legal advisory committee was meant to strengthen the existing committee on land matters headed by Mogaji Asimiyu Ariori.
Speaking in the same vein, the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, corroborated Olubadan’s position, saying it had become desirable for Ibadan to take stringent action against the menace of land grabbing because it has constantly put our people in harm’s way.
“If it were possible, we should seek the establishment of anti-land grabbing tribunals in all the 11 Local Government Councils in Ibadanland.”
Speaking on behalf of the committee, Akintola, SAN, expressed the members’ gratitude to Olubadan and Olubadan-in-council for giving them the privilege to serve their fatherland.
Akintola said the inauguration was a call to service of their fatherland.
The committee, therefore, sought the co-operation and support of the State Government and the Ibadan people in checkmating the menace of land grabbing.
He noted that the government was not favourably disposed to land grabbing either, and as such, the anti-land-grabbing advisory committee would strengthen the government’s resolve to tackle the same menace.
The Olubadan-in-Council meeting presided over by Oba Ladoja was attended by Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola; Otun Balogun, Oba Kola Adegbola; Otun Olubadan-designate, Oba Eddy Oyewole; Osi Balogun, Oba Olubunmi Isioye-Dada; Osi Olubadan-designate, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi; Asipa Olubadan-designate, Oba Hamidu Ajibade; Ekerin Balogun, Oba Akeem Adewoyin; Ekerin Olubadan-designate, Oba Adebayo Akande.
Also present were Bobajiro of Ibadanland, former Oyo State Head of Service, Tajudeen Aremu and Ajiroba, Soji Adejumo.
