The Olokunjuwon-Umelu community, the landowner of Alagbaka Extension, Akure, the Ondo State capital, has issued a quit notice to property owners in the area.
The community in the quit notice labelled the property owners as trespassers.
The Olokunjuwon-Umelu community called on all property owners in the Alagbaka Extension in Akure to vacate the land or negotiate terms for continued occupancy on what they describe as their ancestral land.
The leaders of the community are; Adegboyega Olokunjuwon, Thomas Ojo, and Olusola Osore.
In a swift reaction, property owners in the area have kicked against the move, referencing a pending appeal at the Supreme Court and an Akure High Court order suspending the enforcement of a 2017 judgment pending the apex court’s final decision.
The Olokunjuwon-Umelu community argued that the Supreme Court has already settled the matter.
It insisted that the Supreme Court ruling of April 4 which struck out a motion seeking leave to appeal the 2017 judgment, has nullified any claim by the landlords.
A five-man panel of the Supreme Court in a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Helen Moronkeji Ogunwumiju, dismissed the application filed in Appeal No. SC/CV/241/2023, upholding the lower court’s decision.
According to the community, the Supreme Court’s decision invalidated the stay of execution previously granted by the Akure High Court.
It contended that the property owners’ attempt to join the suit post-judgment amount to “crying when the head is off.”
The community emphasized that the High Court had earlier declared the Olokunjuwon family as the rightful beneficiaries of the Statutory Right of Occupancy over the disputed 95.13-hectare parcel of land.
The community added that the court directed the family to take “immediate and exclusive possession” of the land, ruling against any individual or entity deriving title from the Ajayi Elekumo family, Michael Kerubu Olojido, Mikolad Ventures Limited, or their associates.
The Olokunjuwon-Umelu community further stated that both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the High Court’s judgment.
“The purported members of the landlords and residents’ association, who are privies of the judgment debtors, made a failed attempt to appeal the judgment as interested parties.
“The Court of Appeal described their appeal as ‘dead on arrival’ and a waste of judicial time,” the community stated.
Labeling them as trespassers, the community said: “Like every other person under the sun, the members of the residents’ association and their vendors are bound by the decision of the Supreme Court.
“The issue of ownership and possessory rights of the Olokunjuwon family over the land has been conclusively resolved by the Supreme Court on April 4, 2024. The residents’ association should not insist on carrying oxygen around the coffin,” the community averred.
A statement signed by Olokunjuwon, Ojo, and Osore read: “The attention of the adjudged land owning Olokunjuwon family of Umelu community, Alagbaka Extension, Akure has been drawn to a misleading and fallacious publication by some individuals who surreptitiously and clandestinely tagged themselves “Members of Landlords and Residents Associations” on Olokunjuwon family land, Alagbaka Extension, Akure.
“It has become imperative to correct the misrepresentation that may be occasioned by the misleading publication to the effect that;
“By a well-considered Judgment of the Ondo State High Court in Suit No: AK/173/2012 delivered on the 5th day of January 2017, the Olokunjuwon family of Umelu Community was adjudged the persons entitled to be granted Statutory Right of Occupancy in respect of the vast parcel of land measuring approximately 95.13 Hectares known as Umelu Community, Alagbaka Extension Akure.
“The Honourable court further directed the Olokunjuwon family to take immediate and exclusive possession of the vast parcel of land litigated upon, against any person whatsoever deriving title from either the Ajayi Elekumo family, Michael Kerubu Olojido, Mikolad Ventures Limited, or any of their privies and assigns.
“The Judgment of the Ondo State High Court was unanimously and unequivocally affirmed by the Court of Appeal held at Akure in Appeal No: CA/AK/105/2017 delivered on the 9th day of August 2022.
“The attempt to appeal the judgment of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court in Appeal Number: SC/CV/241/2023 by the Judgment Debtor was dealt a blow on the 4″ April 2025, as the 5-man panel of the Apex court unanimously dismissed the said application for leave to appeal, the said application having been earlier refused by the Court of Appeal sometimes in January 2023, and stated that the judgment of the lower Court (Court of Appeal adjudging ownership of the vast parcel of land in favour of Olokunjuwon Family) IS UNASSILABLE, hence an affirmation of both the High Court and the Court of Appeal in favour of the Olokunjuwon family.
“The purported members of the landlords and residents association who are the privies of the Judgment Debtors also made an attempt to appeal the judgment of the High court as Interested parties which attempt was truncated in limine by the Court of Appeal in referring to their appeal as “dead on arrival” and time wasting as the fatal attraction and the consequential malady foist on them was their own failure to follow the requirement of the law, leading to the ultimate death of their appeal.
“The so-called members of landlords and residents’ association and their vendors having been declared trespassers by the court remain trespassers and like every other person under the sun, the members of the resident association and their vendors are bound by the decision of the Supreme Court in Appeal No: SC/CV/241/2023.
“The subject matter and issue of ownership and possessory right of the Olokunjuwon family of Umelu community on the vast parcel of land has already been finally laid to rest by the Apex court on the 4th day of April 202. The so-called members of the landlord and resident association should not insist on carrying oxygen around the coffin.
“More so, that the said Appeal Number: SC/CV/1151/2022 pending at the Supreme court, which is currently been used as a shield by these so called landlords and residents’ association does not relate to the issue and subject matter of ownership and possession of the land already adjourned in favour of the Olokunjuwon family of Umelu Community.
“Against this background, members of the public are advised to discountenance and disregard the misleading publication of these trespassers who surreptitiously tagged themselves ‘Landlords and Residents Association” on Olokunjuwon family land, the Apex court having spoken, the said publication is nothing but an affront and an attempt to prevent the Olokunjuwon family from reaping the fruit of their judgment.
“The trespassers on the land are advised to adhere to the notice given in their own interest.”
