Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide appeals to Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu over demolition of Otumara

Omo Ilaje Worldwide, a socio-cultural organisation, has tasked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and the Inspector General of Police over the demolition of Otumara Community in the state.

Condemning what they termed a clear indication of ethnic cleansing, the group in its petition stated that they have rights to settle in any community like other Yoruba settlers.

President-General of Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide Prince Iwamitigha Raphael Irowainu, while addressing a press conference held at the group’s secretariat on Okunowa Street, Olodi Apapa, Ajegunle, Lagos on Wednesday, bemoaned the fact that over five thousand (5,000) houses with estimated population of about five hundred thousand (500,000) people have been rendered homeless at Otumara Community in Mainland Local Government area of Lagos State.

Irowainu stated that the demolition was allegedly carried out on a weekend between March 7 and 10, 2025 by notorious land grabbers with their gangs in conjunction with some traditional rulers and some officials of Lagos State Government with properties worth over two hundred billion naira destroyed or carted away.

According to Irowainu the press conference was originally slated for Friday 14, March, 2025 at Otumara Community but it was cancelled because of the invasion of the venue of the press conference by thugs/hoodlums led by one Mr. Sodiq Aromire.

“The President-General and his entourage were held hostage for about three hours before they were rescued by the police.

“They also attacked the invited journalists and chased away the victims of the illegal demolition. The incident has been reported to the Police for necessary action.”

Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide also hinted that they were not contending with the Lagos Mainland traditional rulers over the ownership of the land, as they are creeks dwellers with long history of existence, which dates back to 1920 without any friction whatsoever.

He revealed that the route to the “illegal demolition started on February 11, 2025 when Mr. Gbolahan Oki, General Manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), came to Otumara community with armed policemen with some area boys and told the members of the community to leave the community within three (3) days without prior notice.”

Irowainu stated that “in response to this threat of ejection and demolition, members of the community in large number protested to the Governor’s office at Alausa on February 12, 2025 where the Governor denied, through his representative, that they are aware of any intending demolition in Otumara Community and that the people should go about their lawful activities.

“It will interest you to know that, on Sunday February 18, 2025, Dr. Olajide Abiodun, Special Adviser to Governor on E-GIS Physical Planning and Urban Development came to Otumara community in company of Mr. Gbolahan Oki with armed policemen and some known thugs or area boys and further threatened that the residents of Otumara community should vacate immediately as the Lagos State Government has decided to demolish Otumara Community.”

He explained that according to the leaders of the community, the Lagos State Government officials advised them to go and see HRM, Oba Bashiru Abisoye Odesanya, Arokusha II, the Oloto of Otto Kingdom, who he said has been illegally claiming ownership of the land of Otumara community if they want the demolition to be halted.

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He said that the Otumara Community land is already subjects of litigation in suit NO LD/4292/LMN/17 and suit NO 25126/2017 before Hon. Justice Sule-Amsat of High Court 2, Sabo, Lagos filled by Oloto ruling House against Otumara Community and that the next adjournment date for trial is May 7, 2025.

“Despite the pendency of this case before a court of competent jurisdiction, Dr. Olajide Abiodun, Special Adviser to the Governor on E-GIS Physical and Urban Planning, Mr. Gbolahan Oki, General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and Mr. Animashaun Oladimeji, General Manager Lagos State Urban Renewal Authority (LASURA) in conjunction with HRM Oba Bashiru Abisoye Odesanya, the Oloto of Otto Kingdom backed with fully armed policemen and some known thugs and area boys led by one Toyin Tomori and one Sodiq Aromire, invaded Otumara Community on March 7 to 10 and completely demolished all the houses in the Community.

“The National and State leadership of the Egbe Omo Ilaje reliably gathered that the same treatment given to Ilaje Otumara Community will be extended to all the Ilaje Communities in Lagos State, most especially Ijora Badia, Iwaya, Makoko, Ayetoro, Orioke Alala, Bariga, Ajah-Lekki, Itedo Community- Lekki etc. by this same group of people.

“However, we want to assure them that this illegality and criminal acts against our people will be resisted by all legal and extra legal means.

“In view of the foregoing, we are passionately appealing and calling on His Excellency, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the commander-in-chief of Armed Forces to direct the Inspector General of Police and other relevant heads of security agencies to cause comprehensive investigation into this matter with a view to bring all the perpetrators to book and in order to prevent the breakdown of law and order.

“In the same vein, we are calling on the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Babajide Sanwo-Olu to create internally displaced persons (IDP) camp with adequate relief materials to ameliorate the condition of the victims of this illegal demolition.

“Finally, we are equally calling on the Governor of Ondo State His Excellency, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to come to the aid of Ilaje Otumara Community that has been rendered homeless and at the same time call on the Governor of Lagos State to protect Ilaje Communities in the State and provide relief materials and financial support for the victims of this illegal demolition.

“The Governor of Ebonyi and other eastern states have supported their indigenes financially, materially and provides vehicles to convey their people in Otumara Community to their various home states, ours, cannot be exception.

“The national leadership of the Egbe, the good people of Ilaje nation worldwide and the Ilajes residents in Lagos state will no longer fold their arms while their properties and communities are been destroyed Illegally by the state and non-state actors. Henceforth, the Ilajes shall defend themselves against any aggression, harassment and intimidation from any quarter and responded accordingly. Enough is enough.

“On behalf of National Executive Committee (NEC) of Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide, the Ilajes domiciled in Lagos State and the entire good people of Ilaje Nation, we thank you for attending this World Press Conference and trust that through you our voice of protest in this matter will be heard by all and sundry,” he said.

He however, gave a historical trajectory of how the Ilaje people came to settle in the place now known as Otumara.

“Historically, Ilaje who are princes and princesses from Ile-Ife and whose great grandfather, Oba Osangangan was the 2nd Ooni of Ile-Ife, migrated to the present Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, where some of them later migrated to Lagos State during the 17th and 18th century and spread from Epe to Badagry.

“Usually, the Ilajes occupy the creek and coastal part of Lagos State. Hence up till date, Ilajes are to be found in Epe, Sala, Itoikon, Agbowa, Ibeshe Ikorodu, Majidun, Ajegunle Ikorodu, Ajegunle Apapa, Mile 12, Ogudu, Oworonshoki, Bariga, Iwaya, Makoko, Oko Baba, Otumara, Ijora Badia, Ajah Ilaje, Gbolejo, Itun Agan, Kirikiri, Satelite Town, Shibiri, Ojo Extending of course to Badagry where they settled till date.

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“It was fishing activities that took the Ilajes away from their initial homeland in modern southern most tip of Ondo State to their various locations in Lagos State and beyond.
Gentlemen of the Press, Pa Emmanuel Otofen Arowojolu of blessed memory who founded Otumara Community in early 1920 was born in 1867 in Odumogun town in the present Ondo State.

“Pa Arowojolu has three wives and 12 children. He was not just a fisherman, he was equally a brave hunter and a good carpenter.

“These other professions assisted him in no small measure in conquering dangerous reptiles and snakes when he came to Igbo Aiwo (forbidden forest) now known as Otumara.

“His experience as a carpenter enabled him to build Stilth in the swampy and muddy terrain called Otumara when he settled there.

On his way to Otumara, he passed through the back of European quarters (By Julius Berger) and came to a village (site of the present day the National Arts Theatre).

There, he met Apostle Anjola Ayadi. He stayed there a day and left in search of a Virgin Land and paddled his canoe toward the East I.E Mainland Hotel area.

“Subsequently, he came to Otto and met three Bamboo Houses where he met Chief Ajayi and Ogundimu who advised him to look for his own settlement, he crossed the Otto River to the other end and saw a thick forest called Igbo Aiwo – Forbidden Forest, where bones of dead animals and human being were found and buried by Pa Arowojolu and his children after making sacrifices and entreaties to the gods to send evil spirits away from their abode.

“They cut wood from the forest and used it to prepare a foundation for the first Stilth House.

It was in the late 1930s and 1940s that He brought other members of his extended families into the community. At this time too, customers (Fish Hawkers from Oyingbo) and nearby began to look for him.

“Thus from 1940 other ethnic nationalities such as Itshekiris, Urhobos, Igbos, Ijaws etc and of course the daughters of Ojora popularly called Iya Onigari – Iya oniresi also lived in the community,” he said.

According to him, from 1940, especially when his kinsmen, relations and other ethnic nationalities came into the community, he was given the title of Oloja of Otumara.

He added that he settled squabbles between his family and other members of ethnic nationalities and ensured peace and tranquility in the entire community.

He said: “At a time before 1950, customers buying fish from Oloja Emmanuel Arowojolu usually referred to Otumara as Ketebe for ease of reference to themselves.

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Hence some people then will say “I am going to Ketebe.” However, from 1950, all these names finally gave way to Otumara meaning “this place is comfortable for me” because all the initial obstacles have been conquered.

“Oloja Emmanuel Otofen Arowojolu died in November 1972. His first Son Abel Arowojolu took over the reign of the village and he was consequently called Oloja, A title he inherited from his Father.

“Oloja Abel Arowojolu continued in the administrative style of his Father.

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“Unfortunately, there was a fire outbreak in 1978 that destroyed homes and properties including vital documents of the community.

“However, in 1989/1990 Oloja Abel Arowojolu was advised by some well-wishers to obtain Chieftaincy title so that He too can be on a Payroll of the Lagos State Government.

“It was this advice that took him to Otto where He was Officially crowned Baale of Otumara with no string or any condition attached. In 1972, the federal government of Nigeria started sand filling of Idiagbon Village.

“The sand that was pumped spilled over to Otumara.

“This development helped them to embarked on sand filling across the community and people started building block houses.

“Baale Abel Arowojolu died in 1999 and he was succeeded by Mr. Festus Oladipupo Arowojolu who was also crowned Baale of Otumara in the year 2001 by Late Oba Gani Odesanya the first Oloto of Otto Kingdom. It could be recalled that in 1980, the Jakande’s administration came up with an eviction notice.

“However, after a massive protest and letters from individuals and groups, the eviction notice was withdrawn.”

The President of the group added that thereafter, the Ilaje Otumara community never encountered any problem from the federal, state or local government or any individual for that matter until Oba Fatai Aromire, the Ojora of Ijora Kingdom illegally dethroned Baale Festus Oladipupa Arowojolu and installed one kehinde A. Kalejaiye “with their inordinate ambition to demolish Otumara community and forcefully take over their land.”

According to him, the alleged illegal dethronement was challenged at a Lagos State High Court and the action was declared unconstitutional and was therefore reinstated by the court as the authentic Baale of Otumara Community.

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He said that from their founding fathers to the reign of Baale Festus O. Arowojolu, Otumara Community does not owe any allegiance to the Oloto Ruling House or anybody and that they do not pay any annual levy or Isakole to anybody in Otto, and that Otumara is an autonomous community, they submitted.

“The Olotos equally migrated from Iseyin in the present Oyo State to Lagos just the way the Ilajes migrated from the present Ondo State to Lagos.