The Elegushi Royal Family yesterday washed its hands of
last week’s violence that engulfed Otodo Gbame, a slum in Ikate, Lekki in
Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State. It chided those accusing it of
instigating the violence, urging them to stop spreading falsehood to smear its
name.
The family’s Secretary Chief Muritala Elegushi, said the land in dispute belongs to it, wondering
why the family would engage in violence to reclaim its legal inheritance.
He said after its victory in court earlier this month,
the family delayed execution of the judgment which gave it the land to avoid
violence.
He said the family never planned to eject the slum
inhabitants immediately, alleging that they crossed their boundary when they
pledged loyalty to a monarch.
Elegushi said: “The Elegushi royal family is the rightful
and legal owner of Otodo Gbame land, a fact that can be confirmed by the
inhabitants. The family obtained court rulings from the Magistrate’s and High
Courts of Lagos to take possession of the land.
“Due to our magnanimity and in spite of the security
threat the community poses to the neighbourhood, we left the inhabitants alone
in order to keep the peace. Contrary to
reports that the fracas in the community was instigated by the Elegushi
family, we wish to tell the whole world that it was a crisis that originated
purely from internal disagreement among the inhabitants. The Elegushi family
has nothing to do with the violence.”
C-The Nation
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