Demolition: Ekiti Landlords Protest Unpaid N82.6m Compensation

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

Some Ado Ekiti indigenes and property owners at the demolished  Ijoka Quarters, the State capital, yesterday, staged a protest over property worth N82.6 million that were pulled down by the State Government for the construction of Bus Terminal.

The protesters, said it was sad  for government to have demolished their agelong property spanning  four years, without thinking of paying requisite compensations, describing this as “wicked and callous”.

The placard-carrying  protesters visited the Bus Terminal construction site and the Palace of Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, to ventilate their grievances.

Addressing journalists during the protest, spokesman of the aggrieved landlords, Mr. Afolabi Ogunsakin, lamented perceived Governor Kayode Fayemi’s alleged non-chalance posture to pay their compensations, after being  evicted  at short notice .

He said: “Our dear ancestral home was demolished in 2016 by the state government without consideration for hardship and negative effects that we experienced.

“All negotiations regarding payment of compensations to members had been fruitless. After several appeals, it became clear that government was not ready to pay us our entitlements. It is also clear that delay in payment of our entitlements was deliberate.

“The community wants to state categorically here that henceforth, step will be taken to disturb workers on site. We are ready to damn the consequences until the government pay us our entitlements”.

Also fuming over the delay, the Head of the family, Chief Laisi Opokiti, regretted how they were being allegedly deceived by government, saying: ” Many tombs where our forefathers were buried were leveled during the demolition. We know that their spirits will fight.

“Four years, four months and two days after demolition, the government  didn’t pay us a dime. Governor Fayemi said he had approved money, but it was not given to us. We appeal that they give us our entitlements”.

Also speaking, the Community’s Youth Leader, Olasehinde Omotoso, disclosed that they had visited the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Diran Adesua and the Director General, Bureau of Lands, Mrs Funke Falodun but their efforts were futile.

“We have visited them severally, but it seems they were deceiving us. We are not saying Governor Fayemi is bad, he is a good man, but we want him to order the payment of our compensation.

“If they refuse, the spirits of those that  were buried here and those whose houses were demolished will fight back if they refuse to pay us”, he stated.

Oba Adejugbe, represented by  Omosio of Ado Ekiti, Chief Opeyemi Abiola, appealed to the protesters not to be unruly and destructive in their actions.

“We will relay your message to Kabiyesi. Baba will be around next week Tuesday, so that you can return here to ventilate your anger. He will take up your case with all relevant government agencies,” he said.