Lagos monarchs inverbal war as tussle over territory escalates
The rift between two Lagos traditional rulers, Oba Isiaka Oyero of Ketu in Kosofe Local Government Area and Oba Alamu Oloyede, the Onikosi of Ikosi, also in Kosofe LGA, over
- Opeyemi Samuel
The rift between two Lagos traditional rulers, Oba Isiaka Oyero of Ketu in Kosofe Local Government Area and Oba Alamu Oloyede, the Onikosi of Ikosi, also in Kosofe LGA, over a piece of land that hosts an office of the Nigerian Postal Service (NPS) has metamorphosed into a verbal war.
The two traditional rulers have been at loggerheads since Oba Oyero accused the Onikosi as well as the chairperson of Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, Samiat Bada, of encroaching on the said parcel of land.
Speaking with reporters alongside his lawyer, Barrister Ayo Adekunle, Oba Oyero had accused both LG boss Bada and Oba Oloyede of tampering with a piece of land that remains a subject of litigation.
According to Oba Oyero, the one-acre land was bequeathed to the NPS by the family of Balogun Oyero, the original owners of the disputed piece of land, for the construction of Ketu Post Office as far back as 1980.
Who owns contentious piece of land?
In his explanation, Oba Oyero said his forefathers were the original owners of the land, insisting that the love for development made the original owners to donate the piece of land for public usend.
Oba Oyero said: “Balogun Oyero was the progenitor/founder of Ketu Kosofe community around 1880, and he was the owner of the large expanse of land covering the whole of Ketu Kosofe Kingdom and its environs (as confirmed by various Supreme Court judgments of 1905, 1910 and 1911 respectively), the part of which is the subject matter land upon which Ketu Post Office is built.
"Although there are remaining portions of the land left for future use by the Nigerian Postal Service, the portions were protected by a perimeter fence.”
He added that over time, Ikosi Isheri LCDA trespassed on portions of the land sometime in the 2019 following which the administrative building of lkosi lsheri LCDA, public toilets, shops and parking lots were built without paying any compensation paid to the land-owning Balogun Oyero family.
Oba Oyero said that while the dust was yet to settle on the portion of the land encroached upon, in 2022, a neighbouring lkosi family under the kingship of Oba Oloyede and the Ikosi-Isheri LCDA chairperson took over the remaining land and allegedly forcibly evicted the NPS, claiming that the entire land belongs to the lkosi family.
The Nation gathered that in search of justice, the Balogun Oyero family, together with the NPS, took the matter to court in the suit number ID/19408GCM/2022 against the lkosi family, the Ikosi Isheri LCDA chairman Bada and others for declaration of title and perpetual injunction.
While the matter was pending in court, Oba Oloyede (Oba of Ikosi land) and the LCDA chairperson, Bada, allegedly evicted the NPS and other occupants from the said portion of land via eviction notices.
Both Onikosi and Bada said the piece of land, aside being under litigation, had also been earmarked for construction of Oba Onikosi palace project.
“The eviction threats by this duo, which began like a child’s play eventually became a manifested reality as development and construction works on the illegal Onikosi palace project are presently ongoing on the disputed land," Oba Oyero noted.
He also disclosed that the existing structures on the land, including the perimeter fence mounted by the Nigeria Postal Service to secure the land, were demolished.
It gathered that the demolition exercise was initially challenged by the Balogun Oyero family members, staff members of the NPS and other concerned members of the public, but they had to be stopped to avoid violent confrontation.
“It is a trite position of law that when a matter is pending in court, all parties must not deal or tamper with the subject of litigation until the matter is finally decided by the court," Oba Oyero said.
He warned that the activities of "both the Onikosi and Bada can lead to a breach of the peace and communal clash if not checked or stopped now by the relevant constituted authorities.”
Temporary relief
While an instant complaint was said to have been lodged at the Area H Police Command in Ogudu, and the police officers came to the scene to arrest the site workers, our correspondent gathered that the workers were later released and have since gone back to the land to continue what Oba Oyero termed illegal construction works.
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“Consequently, our family Lawyer, Ayo Odekunle, immediately filed an application for interlocutory injunction before the court against these two individuals to stop their illegal activities on the lis pendi land,” said the monarch.
The Oba of Ketu therefore called on the Lagos State Government, the Judiciary and members of the public to check the activities of Oba Oloyede and Bada before they degenerate into crisis.
He described the action of both as contempt of court and impunity of the highest order.
Also speaking, the youth leader in Ketu community, Muritala Balogun, accused the council of taking sides with the Onikosi.
He said: “What is happening now is the creation of a problem because this matter is in court, and the council authority is a tier of government.
"So, if a matter is in court, why will a local government authority interfere and turn things around when evidence and documents to back it up are glaring?
"There was a time when the Oba of Ketu and the Oba of Ikosi were called to settle this matter if required,” he said.
The Head of Legal of NIPOST in Lagos, Patience Onoabhagbe, said the case was initiated in court by the agency after the workers were allegedly dislodged from the property.
“What we want the government to do in this matter is to stop them from coming here again, and anything they erect there should be demolished,” she said.
Council denials, allegation
Contacted on the phone, Bada denied the allegations, referring our correspondent to the Onikosi, Oba Oloyede, for the necessary information on the matter.
At his palace, the Onikosi, Oba Oloyede, admitted that there was a disagreement between him and Oba Oyero over the said parcel of land. He, however, accused Oba Oyero of installing the Baales in Ikosiland.
Onikosi showed the reporter some documents as to how Oba Ketu was asked by the Lagos State Government to stay in Agboyi-Ketu and not come into Ikosi-Isheri because it is Onikosi of ikosi’s domain.
Onikosi also brought out a document indicating that the said piece of land was bought from Onikoro of Agboyi Ketu, Oshorun of Isheri, and Onikosi directly and indirectly, indirectly by buying from Mathew Adeyinka who bought from the Onikoro from Agboyi, Oshorun from Isheri, Onikosi (Ikumoworo).
“They once erected a palace on this said land, and Onikosi wrote a letter to the state government, asking that it should be stopped, and the state government stopped it to ask them (Oba Ketu) to return to their land in Agboyi Ketu,” he said.
Speaking further, Onikosi said: “My brother Olaolu Taiwo, Mr. Jimoh Edun and I, Alamu Onikosi, were actively involved in following and engaging with the former governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, during his visits to our community.
"At a point, we approached him and conveyed the message passed down from our forefathers—that land should be allocated for the purpose of establishing a market for the benefit of the people.
“On one occasion, when Jakande came to inspect the area, the Kabiyesi informed him of our preference for land close to the main road.
"However, the location identified was swampy and uneven, raising concerns about the cost and feasibility of constructing a bridge or carrying out proper land reclamation.
“Subsequently, a committee was set up to address the matter. One of its members was Apanisile from Ikorodu, while my elder brother served as the secretary.
"The committee carried out its responsibilities diligently. The Lagos State Government requested a formal application, which we submitted, and we still retain a copy of that correspondence.
“Following our submission, the government responded, and Jakande personally promised to revisit the site for further inspection, which he eventually did.
"During his visit, he ordered that all unauthorised excavation activities on the land be stopped.
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“He also asked whether we were willing to finance the development ourselves, noting that the government lacked the necessary funds at the time, as this was before the establishment of the Alausa Secretariat, when the government still operated from the Old Secretariat.
“Due to the challenging terrain, securing contractors with tractors to level the land was difficult and costly. Nevertheless, we proceeded and made all necessary payments, for which we have documented evidence, including receipts and the survey documents issued to us.
"I personally witnessed my father oversee these processes.
“We submitted our survey plan to the Government Secretariat. As is standard procedure, the government incorporated our survey into its master plan and subsequently issued an official layout, which included landmarks such as the Ikosi Health Centre and the Ikosi Arabic School.
"Despite this, part of the land designated for the Arabic school was later developed differently.
“After completing all required processes, the government issued us the necessary approvals and certificates.
"Upon receiving these, our father commenced the development of the market, which quickly grew, attracting daily trading activities from numerous people.
“It is important to note that our original certificate bears the logo of the Lagos State Government from the Old Secretariat era.
"Later, when the government moved to Alausa, a new certificate bearing the updated logo was issued to the other party.
"Subsequently, another certificate was obtained from the Federal Government in respect of the market.
“In our efforts to improve community welfare, we proposed the establishment of a health centre, which the Lagos State Government approved.
"Additionally, our father built a customary court on the land, although it was later relocated by the government to Isheri.
"An elder, Okuwa, ensured that the former court building was repurposed as a post office. The naming of the post office under “Ketu” was done for ease of recognition, not as an indication of ownership of the land.
“We also facilitated the establishment of a police post on the land, initially constructed with temporary materials.
"Over time, Kosofe Local Council Development Area (LCDA) became active in the area, issuing local government documents and collecting levies.
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"Hon. Soname, the first chairman, constructed an office for the LCDA and began expanding its presence. Successive administrations, however, have attempted to demolish the market, leading to ongoing disputes, which we have challenged through appropriate channels.
“At one point, a beneficiary of the NIPOST facility we provided informed me that the council intended to take it over. I advised against confrontation, emphasising dialogue as the proper approach.
“Unexpectedly, I was later summoned by the Lagos State House of Assembly, where I was asked to submit all relevant documents, which I did.
"During the proceedings, Kosofe LCDA claimed to have received federal ratification over the land. However, members of the Assembly questioned how the Federal Government could allocate land under state jurisdiction.
"Dissatisfied, the council representatives proceeded to court.
“I was also accused of writing a letter capable of inciting unrest, an allegation I strongly deny.
"Recently, in 2026, we received notice giving occupants just 24 hours to vacate the market, alongside plans to demolish existing structures, including public facilities.
"During the commissioning of a new government building by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, he engaged with me at the market site and proposed building a palace there.
"I expressed my support on the condition that he would personally commission it before leaving office, to which he agreed.
“Historically, my father also played a significant role in local governance. He was transferred from Ikeja to Somolu and later became Chairman of the Council of Obas in the newly created Kosofe LCDA.
“Initially established during Jakande’s administration, Kosofe was later dissolved by the military government, which argued that civilian authorities lacked the power to create such entities.
"It was eventually reinstated and placed under the leadership of three elders: Ade Taiwo (Asalu of Ikosi), the Onikoro of Agboyi (as vice), and the Baale of Ojota.
“We possess documented evidence of land transactions involving our family, including sales to the Oyero family and others across areas from Alapere to Ketu Bus Stop.
"These transactions were properly recorded, with receipts retained for reference.
"In conclusion, the historical records, documented transactions, and government-issued certifications clearly establish our longstanding role as the original developers and rightful stakeholders of the land.
"Even in legal proceedings, opposing parties have at times been described as temporary tenants.”
