On the Demolition of the Owo Memorial Park: Ondo State Government Lied
The recent response by the Ondo State Government to the press statement issued by the Bishop of Ondo Catholic Diocese, Most Rev. Jude Arogundade, has exposed the fact behind the demolition of the Owo Memorial Park. The government’s attempt to justify the demolition relies on a narrative riddled with distortions and half-truths. Facts, however, remain inviolable, and the truth, obstinate in its nature, compels us to set the record straight.
This intervention is not intended to disparage the revered stool of the Olowo of Owo or to engage in public contention with the respected authority of the king, his chiefs, or the people of Owo. Rather, in the absence of the late Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON whose memory we honour, it falls upon us, as conscientious citizens, to illuminate the facts surrounding this controversy for the benefit of the public.
The State Government’s Position:
- The land on which the Owo Memorial Park was constructed originally belonged to AgroMore Limited, a company purportedly owned by Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye prior to his ascension as the Olowo of Owo.
- In 2010, the administration of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko acquired this land from AgroMore Limited for public use, specifically for road dualization. In January 2021, the Akeredolu administration purportedly reallocated the land to its original owner, AgroMore Limited.
The Facts:
- The claim that the land originally belonged to AgroMore Limited, a company allegedly owned by Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye, is a blatant lie. It is both surprising and disheartening that a state government, entrusted with the custody of public records, would propagate such a claim without due diligence. The absence of administrative rigour in verifying these records, evident in the complaints of inertia from ministries and parastatals under the current administration, only compounds the embarrassment. No documentary evidence supports the claim that AgroMore Limited held title to the land in question. We challenge the government to produce any evidence that support the claim of AgroMore ownership.
- The government’s narrative that the Mimiko administration acquired the land from AgroMore Limited in 2010 for road dualization is perfidious. Historical records are there to puncture these lies. The land in question was acquired from families with longstanding ties to the area, namely the Oshurogho, Okungbaye, Arala, Oluo Saliu, Oloba, Aladenika, and Adedayo families. These families, whose ancestral homes stood on the land, were compelled to exhume the remains of their forebears as part of the acquisition process; a poignant evidence to their ownership. No record exists of AgroMore Limited or Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye among those compensated for the acquisition. At the time, Oba Ajibade was a level 12 civil servant in the state civil service. Aiyedatiwa’s claim that AgroMore owned the land in 2010 is a fabrication of bewildering audacity.
- While it is true that in 2021, the late Governor Akeredolu allocated the land to Oba Ajibade, the circumstances surrounding this decision and its subsequent revocation must be understood by members of the public.
Following his ascension to the throne, Oba Ajibade expressed his desire to acquire a portion of the land for personal use. Through intermediaries, he secured the approval of late Governor Akeredolu, who instructed the then Commissioner for Works, Lands, and Housing, Hon. Fatai Olotu, and the Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Engr. Raimi Aminu, to facilitate the allocation. However, when surveyors began partitioning the land, the rightful owners, specifically the Aladenika family, protested. Through their legal counsel, Clement Olorunmeke, Esq., they submitted a petition asserting that the land, acquired for public use, could not be reallocated for private purposes.
As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the late Governor Akeredolu understood the legal implications of this allocation. Following deliberations with ministry officials, he directed that the allocation be revoked to avoid litigation, which the Aladenika family was poised to win. Consequently, no Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) was issued to Oba Ajibade. If such a document exists, we challenge the State Government to present it to members of the public.
- The government’s claim of ongoing discussions between the Palace of the Olowo and the state regarding the relocation of the Memorial Park prior to Governor Akeredolu’s demise is both irresponsible and wicked. Akeredolu’s vision was to construct a world-class museum directly behind the Memorial Park, a project that necessitated further land acquisitions. No evidence supports the assertion of discussions regarding relocation, and to attribute such a narrative to a deceased leader unable to defend his legacy is an affront to both truth and decency.
Let it be known to all sons and daughters of Owo, that the demolition of the park is far from serving a communal purpose. The pressure and decision to demolish the park is driven by motives of personal land acquisition. The narrative that Oba Ajibade seeks to claim the land for the benefit of Owo is misleading; any successful acquisition would serve the interests of the Olowo and his family, not Owo community or future Olowo.
The Ondo State Government and the Olowo must address the following:
- Did Oba Ajibade or AgroMore Limited receive compensation when the Mimiko administration acquired the land in 2010? The answer is unequivocally no. Records confirm that only the aforementioned families, whose ancestral homes occupied the land, were compensated. We challenge the government to produce any evidence of compensation paid to AgroMore Limited.
- Prior to the 2010 acquisition, the land was occupied exclusively by family homes. Which of these belonged to AgroMore Limited? Are we to believe that Oba Ajibade, then a level 12 civil servant, legally purchased a family home on this land?
The demolition of the Owo Memorial Park by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and Olowo of Owo was not only an act of destruction but a betrayal of public trust. The Ondo State Government’s narrative, riddled with inconsistencies and incoherent lies fell flat on its face. It was an embarrassing exercise.
What we are witnessing is a decision by Governor Aiyedatiwa to reallocate public land for private gain.
Now we know that Kabiyesi is so desperate to grab the land and care less about the memory of those whose lives were cut short on June 5, 2022. Humanity is a luxury for Aiyedatiwa. It doesn’t seem like what he could afford.
We urge the public to demand clarity, to hold those in authority accountable, and to preserve the sanctity of Owo’s collective heritage. Truth, however inconvenient, will always prevail.
Signed:
Samuel Omoyajowo
Secretary,
Owo Reformed Vanguard.
