The recent decision by Kwara state government to reclaim a landed property in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Ilorin is causing ripples in the state. UMAR BAYO ABDULWAHAB reports.
For more than three weeks running, Ilorin, the Kwara state capital has been in the news following the decision of the state government to reclaim a landed property situated along Ilofa road in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of the ancient town on which an old people’s home (IIe -Arugbo) owned by the late Olusola Saraki (Oloye) was built.
The Oloye’s dynasty had dominated the political arena of the state for over 40 years before the ‘O to ge’ struggle that produced the current governor in the February 2019 general elections.
Less than a year into the All Progressives Congress (APC )-led administration of AbdulRhman AbdulRasaq, the political arena in the state was almost turned to a battle ground a fortnight ago over the ownership status of the landed on which the old people’s home was built.
Who owns Ile-Arugbo?
The struggle over ownership of the disputed land is between the Kwara state government under the administration of AbdulRasaq and the families of the late Second Republic Senate leader, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki.
For over 30 decades, Ile-Arugbo is popular as a place where supporters of the late Second Republic Senate leader mostly aged women, converged to receive cash and material gifts and foods that are doled out to them by the late Saraki, a tradition sustained by his son,the immediate past Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki.
Although the matter is now before the court of law, the dust raised by the development is yet to settle.The state government and Saraki’s family have engaged in allegations and counter-allegations over ownership status of the disputed land, a development which has again hit the polity of the ‘State of Harmony’.
For instance, aged women last week took over the stretch of Ilofa road where the disputed landed property is situated to celebrate an ex-perte motion obtained by Asa Investment, the company managing Saraki’s property restraining the defendants and anyone acting on their behalf from further demolishing or further destroying the alleged property of the claimant.
The state governor, state assembly, Attorney General, director general, Kwara Bureau of Lands and Inspector General of Police are the defendants in the suit.This followed a motion ex-parte and the supporting affidavit dated and filed on January 2, 2020 after the court had listened to the claimant’s (Asa Investments Limited) counsel, Mr A.A Ibrahim.
Stakeholders sue for peace
Worried by the dangerous dimensions in which the matter appears to have taken, stakeholders in the state have cautioned that the matter, if not handled properly, could trigger another round of political instability in the state.
While the state government had continued to justify its action, the Saraki family and its supporters have insisted that the government’s decision was an act of vendetta against the Oloye dynasty.
President Buhari’s intervention
In a bid to ensure that the matter does not get out of hand, President Muhammed Buhari last week waded in and ordered investigation into the controversies surrounding the issue.The president’s intervention came few days after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Ilorin West Local Government Area of the state made similar appeal to the former Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, to sheath their swords and allow peace to reign in the state.
The stakeholders, who noted that both Saraki and AbdulRazaq hail from Ilorin West Local Government Area, reminded the two leaders that any crisis ignited from the local government area would spread to all the remaining local government areas.
PDP’s admonition
Lending their voice to the need for the two leaders to sheath their swords and allow peace to reign supreme, chairman of Ilorin West PDP Stakeholders Forum, Alhaji Abdulkadir Oba Ajara, told the two leaders the implications of the situation on Ilorin and the state as whole.
Flanked by the party chairman in the council, Alh Baba Akota, Ajara,who addressed a crowded press conference at the party’s secretariat along Agbo- Oba area of Ilorin metropolis, specifically appealed to governor Abdulrazaq to toe the path of peace.
He noted that Saraki, had showed his preparedness to allow peace reign in the state by not only accepting the results of the last general elections in the state, but wishing the winners well.
The party stalwart equally appealed to men of the state police command to be neutral in the current political crisis rocking the state, urging them to face their primary duty of maintaining security of lives and property.
Ajara also urged supporters of the PDP and Senator Saraki to remain calm and be law abiding at all times.
“Our appeal is to the two combatants who are from Ilorin West LGA to sheath their swords. Ilorin West is a prime LG in the state; if it goes haywire, it would reverberate in all the remaining 15 local government areas of the state.
“I urge our people not to allow self-centered people to turn our state to a centre of violence. We all know what happened in Kogi. We should maintain decorum. We should not see ourselves as causing trouble. We know how they came in and that’s why they are chasing shadow in the name of governance.
“They promised heaven on earth, but we’ve seen all they are capable of doing since they came in. Dr Bukola Saraki accepted results of the last general elections despite cases of over voting all over. People who made mistakes of putting them there are regretting now.
“We don’t want Ilorin West to set Kwara ablaze. So we call on Governor abdulRazaq to take charge to ensure peaceful co-existence and harmonious relationship in all parts of the state.
Battle shifts to court
Consequently, a Kwara state High Court sitting in Ilorin and presided over by Justice A. A Adebara, has fixed January 15 for hearing on motion of notice on a suit filed by Asa Investments Limited on the disputed land on which the late Second Republic Senate leader, Dr Abubakar Olusola Sarakai’s Ile Arugbo (Old people’s home) was built.
The court also upon an ex-parte motion and the supporting affidavit filed on January 2, 2020 and after listening to the claimant’s counsel, restrained the defendants and anyone acting on their behalf from further demolishing or further destroying the alleged property of the claimant.
“Upon a motion Ex-Parte and the supporting affidavit dated and filed on 2nd day of January, 2020. After listening to Mr A.A Ibrahim, counsel to the claimant/ applicant and after a careful perusal of 25 paragraphs affidavits and the attached exhibits in support of the motion ex- parte, it is hereby ordered that:
“The defendants either by themselves, their officers, servants, agents, privies, or successor in title or any person howsoever claiming in trust for the defendants are hereby restrained from further demolishing or further destroying the alleged property of the claimant/applicant known and described as plots 1,3 and 5 with TPS/MISC.129A and survey plan No.KWSH927 and Land/G1071 situate, lying and being beside Civil Service Clinic along Ilofa road, G.R.A, Ilorin,Kwara state on which the claimant has a building popularly known as Ile Arugbo (Old People’s Home); the subject matter of the substantive suit pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice.
“The defendants either by themselves, their officers, servants, agents, privies, successor in title or any person howsoever claiming in trust for them are hereby restrained from entering with the intention to construct, build, erect, or commencing any building/structures on plot 1,3 and 5 with TPS/ MISC.129A and survey plan No KWSH927 and Land/ G1071 situate, lying and being beside Civil Service Clinic, along Ilofa road, GRA, Ilorin pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“The motion on notice is hereby scheduled for hearing against Wednesday 15- O1- 2020. Application granted in part as per the above orders given in Ilorin under the seal of the court and the hand of the presiding Judge this 6th day of January, 2020,” the court ordered.
As it were, the matter had no doubt opened another sore in the hearts of supporters of the two leaders which, if not well managed, could cause division in Ilorin Emirate and instability in the political arena.
