By: Mandy Park
The Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide has staged a protest to the Assembly on Tuesday and petitioned the Lagos State Assembly over the demolition of Ilaje communities, particularly the Otumara community, which saw over 5,000 houses destroyed and approximately 500,000 people rendered homeless.
Some of their placards read; “Save Oworo, our land is bleeding, our people are dying, save our souls,” “Sanwo-Olu save us from land grabbers,” and “If it’s truly a democracy, then every right must be respected, no institution must violate humans.”
The petition dated August 18, 2025 and addressed to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Mudashiru Obasa, was titled; “Petition Against Oba Bashiru Abisoye Odesanya,the Oloto Of Otto, LASBCA and others, and signed by Prince Iwamitigha Irowainu, President Omo Ilaje Worldwide
In the petition, the group stated that “the route to the illegal demolition started on February 11, 2025 when Mr. Gbolahan Oki, the General Manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) came to Otumara Community with armed police officers with some area boys and told the members of the Community to leave within three days without prior notice.
“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 your excellency denied anything of such nature through your representative that your office was not aware of any intending demolition of Otumara Community and our people should go about their lawful activities.”
They recalled that again on Sunday February 18, 2025, “Dr. Olajide Abiodun Special Adviser to the Governor on E-GIS, Physical and Urban Development came to Otumara Community in accompany of Mr. Gbolahan Oki with armed police officers and some known thugs and area boys and further threatened that the residents of Otumara Community should vacate immediately as Lagos State Government has decided to demolish the Community.”
They stated that the residents of Otumara Community were advised to go and see Oba Bashiru Abisoye Odesanya, the Oloto of Otto if they want the demolition of Otumara Community to be halted.
“Sir, it will interest you to know that the Otumara Community land is already a subject of litigation in a SUIT NO LD/4292/LMN/17 and SUIT NO 25/26/2017 before Hon Justice Sule – Amsat of High Court 2 Sabo, Yaba, Lagos, instituted by the Oloto Ruling House against Baale Festus O. Arowojolu and Arowojolu Family of Otumara Community and the next adjournment date for trial was May 7, 2025 but these lawless people brazenly and illegally demolished Otumara Community between 7th and 10th March 7 and 20, 2025 during the pendency of the case before a competent court of law,” they said.
The Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide then demanded immediate arrest and prosecution of all the people involved in the illegal demolition.
They also urged the state assembly to prevent Oba Bashiru Abisoye Odesanya and his group from doing anything on Otumara Land, and “make provision for adequate compensation for the victims of this illegal demolition.”
The group called on the Lagos State Government to provide adequate security for the protection of Ilaje Communities in Lagos State.
They also said that the state government should treat Ilajes in Lagos State as bonafide indigenes of the state, adding that “where the government failed to protect our lives and properties, for whatever reason, our people shall have no alternative other than to defend themselves.”
Addressing the protesters, Hon Solomon Bonu Saanu, representing Badagry Constituency 1 in the assembly, told the protesters to properly present their case, saying that all those involved in the matter would be invited along with their leaders on how to resolve the issues.