Tinibu wants to build a shopping mall for his wife at the market.

The popular Katangowa market in Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, LCDA of Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, will soon be no more. The market is known for second hand clothes business, popularly called Okirika and spare part trading.

With a population of over 30, 000 traders, the market is one of the biggest Okirika market in Nigeria. The traders claimed they have been trading in the area for about 30 years.

Last Thursday, Governor Babatunde Fashola, during a tour of facilities in the Lagos metropolis visited the market as part of plans by the government to build a Digital Village that may cost the government billions of naira in the area.

The plan was to relocate the traders in Computer Village in Ikeja to the area. If this is achieved, what is the fate of the displaced traders in the Katangowa market?

When Governor Fashola was addressed by the traders, he said the government has no plan to relocate them to another area, as they were not the rightful owners of the land.

He said the 17 hectares of land being occupied by the traders and squatters belonged to the state government and the government was not ready to pay compensation to illegal occupants on its land.

The traders had appealed to the governor to resettle them at Amikanle area, which the government had earlier promised to do, but Fashola did not make any commitment to it.

Fashola stated that his administration had kept a track record of resettling and paying compensation to people who had been displaced from their lawfully acquired property.

He, however, said that in a situation where people encroached into government’s land illegally, they should not expect compensation or resettlement when such property is re-acquired by government.

“As far as resettlement is concerned, we have always played an exemplary role . We did Isale Gangan redevelopment, we did Oluwole redevelopment and we resettled the people involved. But in cases where people are squatters, they have no rights over the property.

“The law does not protect illegality, it protects rights and you do not acquire rights by acting illegally. Human rights are legal rights; they are not rights acquired by illegal conduct and we must understand this in a democracy,” he said.

Fashola challenged anybody who claimed to have been deprived of his legally acquired property by his administration without getting compensation to bring forward such claim.

“All of the demolition we did to expand the Badagry Expressway, we are still giving compensation to the displaced people. The people that are displaced in Oshodi will soon relocate to a new market that is ready. We have intervened in Obalende without necessarily displacing the rightful owners.

“I hope that members of the public will understand that they can’t have a right to a place by jumping onto the roadside and saying it is where they must trade. May be, it may be politically popular to agitate citizens who are not aware of what their rights and obligations are.

“People escalate these things. Some people, societies or organisations make profit and get grants at the behest of the so-called masses they claim to be fighting for. The masses don’t have the right to break the law and if they do, we will enforce it,” he stated.

Mr. Femi Adedeji, who spoke on behalf of the traders, said displacing the traders from the market would not augur well with them, as it would have negative impact on them and the state. He claimed that the government had initially said it would relocate the traders to Amikanle area of the state.


HARD AND NECESSARY DECISIONS HAVE TO BE TAKEN. SIMPLE

I see no need for ethnic insults and tribal bullets
All the traders have to do is come together& put pressure on the goverment to give them a place to trade as markets are regulated by the government.
I feel for the traders but they are squatters
Also the relocation of the computer village seems to be more strategic than what presently goes on there now
I've always known from my teenage years the governor/adminstrator who'd fix Lagos would cause a lot of tears&pain seeing most inhabitants did what they thought was right regardless of its legality or otherwise.
None the less 30,000 (Are they really up to that?) displaced traders no be joke.

What some people fail to realize that if all the Igbos move away from the state, the state won't cease to be an industrial, commercial and major business destination in Africa.

[b]Here's what will happen:
1. Igbo people leave factories where they work as staff and though unemployment rate is low in the SW, the unemployed people will take their jobs. The SW won't notice anything has happened if they relocated the ones they own as they do not control 2% of manufacturing GDP in Lagos
2. The Yoruba tribe is the second largest tribe in Nigeria after the Hausas which means there will still be the human resources to sustain commerce
3. Yourba entrepreneurs will venture into spare parts and electronics business and make for the exit of those businesses. They were the first to establish themselves as Adebowale Electronics and co etc but guess what, these Igbo people came with inferior and substandard goods and rubbished the markets. Besides trading is a no brainier. It's about looking for the cheapest markets to source your merchandise and dispensing them in the most expensive markets. Tell me if Rufai, my driver can't do that. Even my mechanic who is not schooled at all can pull that off.
4. After the north, we have invested the most in agriculture which can and will sustain us
5. Oil? The first question I need to ask is if Nigeria as a country today produces the oil it consumes
6. Leadership. Should have been number one. If you look at the political landscape in the SW and the way we vote during elections, you will realize that we do not in any way tolerate mediocrity. You cannot fail to perform as a governor or mayor and expect to continue in office.

We lead. We always have and always will. Before we were all bundled together under federalism, go into history and find out which region was the fastest developing and most progressive - The West. If we had remained a region, by now SA would be Africa's second best.[/b]

People should start talking $ reasoning like HUMAN BEING anywhere in the world illegal is illegal or do U̶̲̥̅̊ expect fashola to abandon govt land for the so called illegal occupant maybe because they have illegally occupied a land for 30yr

They are illegal residents and do not deserve any compensation......

Having said that, in view of the socio-economic impact of relocating them I think LASG should seriously weigh other possible options in a bid to cushion the effect of this noble move...

The squatters might actually have legal rights under the law. I would advise them to seek counsel before even talking to the government because there are certain things that can easily reverse the rights like obtaining permission from the actual owner or even leaving the place temporarily.

In law, there something called Adverse Possession that allows someone to claim ownership to a piece of land that is not theirs if they've occupied the land exclusively and continuously for a period of time without compensation to the actual owner. In most countries, that period is 20 years. I wonder what it is in Nigeria but it's certain to be less than 30 years if the law does exist.

Another landed property for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Wallie: The squatters might actually have legal rights under the law. I would advise them to seek counsel before even talking to the government because there are certain things that can easily reverse the rights like obtaining permission from the actual owner or even leaving the place temporarily.

In law, there something called Adverse Possession that [size=18pt]allows someone to claim ownership to a piece of land that is not theirs[/size] if they've occupied the land exclusively and continuously for a period of time without compensation to the actual owner. In most countries, that period is 20 years. I wonder what it is in Nigeria but it's certain to be less than 30 years if the law does exist.

Can you throw some light on the highlighted part??

I think in very simple english you are saying: "An illegality becomes legal if practised for long:

Arcard: If indigenes of lagos truly want ppl 4rm oda state to go eh! Dnt dy knw dat lagos wl bcom dry.any way sha lagos no b d only cty fo naija cme enugu its ok or go to port its better sef.

You See why Fashola is an action governor? No room for you criminals anymore, leave now before you suffer further humiliation.

Lagos governor inhuman, says PDP

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/lagos-governor-inhuman-says-pdp/

chiboy1928: I wish if the easterners can come bck to they common sense and relocate bck to the east and develop that place to become better before 5yrs anambra,enugu,abia,imo,ph,delta will be far better than lagos,most lagosians should remember that we make lagos wat it is today!but the problem I have is that our igbo brothers will not one to live lagos,as if they have been caused to remain here most of them are doing a lot of investment here and which is not suppose to be so,they need to go bck to they own state and invest massively that wasting they resources here in lagos, so painful our igbo broda are nt reasoning like an igbo man,only the few igbo are going back home to invest,but someday they will understand that lagos is not worth it,my fellow igbo broda pls go bck home and invest because someday u will never regret takin dt actions igbo,chai,kwenu,kwezionu ohhh!!!

You made lagos with what? 419, robbery, drug trafficking, kidnapping? When are you people going to stop your foolish herd mentality which will continue to make you lose value in Nigeria and diaspora. Rubbish.

geez*:


Little do you know that virtually all markets in Lagos have yorubas as their spokespersons for obvious reasons but brace up for it, we have plans for your criminal brothers that have illegally occupied government land and return to the barren SE every Xmas to boast that they they own Lagos

Yoruba people are truly tolerant. Imagine! 30yrs of illegality condoned

tribalist, you've started again.

geez*:
What some people fail to realize that if all the Igbos move away from the state, the state won't cease to be an industrial, commercial and major business destination in Africa.

[b]Here's what will happen:
1. Igbo people leave factories where they work as staff and though unemployment rate is low in the SW, the unemployed people will take their jobs. The SW won't notice anything has happened if they relocated the ones they own as they do not control 2% of manufacturing GDP in Lagos
2. The Yoruba tribe is the second largest tribe in Nigeria after the Hausas which means there will still be the human resources to sustain commerce
3. Yourba entrepreneurs will venture into spare parts and electronics business and make for the exit of those businesses. They were the first to establish themselves as Adebowale Electronics and co etc but guess what, these Igbo people came with inferior and substandard goods and rubbished the markets. Besides trading is a no brainier. It's about looking for the cheapest markets to source your merchandise and dispensing them in the most expensive markets. Tell me if Rufai, my driver can't do that. Even my mechanic who is not schooled at all can pull that off.
4. After the north, we have invested the most in agriculture which can and will sustain us
5. Oil? The first question I need to ask is if Nigeria as a country today produces the oil it consumes
6. Leadership. Should have been number one. If you look at the political landscape in the SW and the way we vote during elections, you will realize that we do not in any way tolerate mediocrity. You cannot fail to perform as a governor or mayor and expect to continue in office.

We lead. We always have and always will. Before we were all bundled together under federalism, go into history and find out which region was the fastest developing and most progressive - The West. If we had remained a region, by now SA would be Africa's second best.[/b]

Very very sane point

gbadexy: It is myopic to wish non lagosians out of the state, I'm a lagosian by the virtue of the fact that •̸Ϟ•̸y great grandfather who was a soldier in oyo empire occupying dahomey then decided to stay in badagry. I collect bursary and benefit from all privileges accorded to indigenes.
Now back to the topic, lagos is developed because of its cosmopolitan nature and not because of its ports, other regions have ports.
It is ironic that the same lagosians that a crying their population is higher than 9 million and are projecting it to reach 25 million to attain a mega city status would in another breath saying outsiders should leave.
What makes lagos unique is the population and diversity.
If all non indigents of lagos were to leave, the place would be scanty and the population that ensures huge sales and services that attracts investors would drop and the place would be scanty.

Your exerpt is not only myopic it is want for adequate depth and truthfulness who borrow your grandfather oyo empire sodier? Another fakie fakie Igbo roach has crawled out of the dark crevise.

geez*:
What some people fail to realize that if all the Igbos move away from the state, the state won't cease to be an industrial, commercial and major business destination in Africa.

[b]Here's what will happen:
1. Igbo people leave factories where they work as staff and though unemployment rate is low in the SW, the unemployed people will take their jobs. The SW won't notice anything has happened if they relocated the ones they own as they do not control 2% of manufacturing GDP in Lagos
2. The Yoruba tribe is the second largest tribe in Nigeria after the Hausas which means there will still be the human resources to sustain commerce
3. Yourba entrepreneurs will venture into spare parts and electronics business and make for the exit of those businesses. They were the first to establish themselves as Adebowale Electronics and co etc but guess what, these Igbo people came with inferior and substandard goods and rubbished the markets. Besides trading is a no brainier. It's about looking for the cheapest markets to source your merchandise and dispensing them in the most expensive markets. Tell me if Rufai, my driver can't do that. Even my mechanic who is not schooled at all can pull that off.
4. After the north, we have invested the most in agriculture which can and will sustain us
5. Oil? The first question I need to ask is if Nigeria as a country today produces the oil it consumes
6. Leadership. Should have been number one. If you look at the political landscape in the SW and the way we vote during elections, you will realize that we do not in any way tolerate mediocrity. You cannot fail to perform as a governor or mayor and expect to continue in office.

We lead. We always have and always will. Before we were all bundled together under federalism, go into history and find out which region was the fastest developing and most progressive - The West. If we had remained a region, by now SA would be Africa's second best.[/b]

when you are threatened, you talk alot. Go ahead. You are outside the government,go and ask why they've not done what you want(fantasized)?

[quote author=geez*]
May Kamanu disable that U̶̲̥̅̊я̩̥̊ stupid mouth there

GARRI (x7):


Can you throw some light on the highlighted part??

I think in very simple english you are saying: "An illegality becomes legal if practised for long:

EXACTLY! In the US, if someone occupies your land exclusively for 20 years, then the person becomes the owner of the land even though you have title to the land. In England, the period is 12 years.

There are tests to be met before one can claim adverse possession. For example, (1) you have to use the land in such a way that everybody can see thereby giving notice to the owner, (2) your use has to be without permission of the owner, (3) you have to physically use the property, (4) you have to have exclusive use of the property, and (5) your use has to be continuous for the period required.


The moral of the law is, if someone occupies your real property (land) kick them off or give them permission to use it.

One last thing on Adverse Possession: It is possible that the government enacted a law that makes it impossible to adversely possess a land that belongs to the state or they might even have some form of Eminent Domain law that allows them to forcibly take your land following just compensation.

The only sure way of knowing your rights is to seek advice from competent Nigerian legal counsel.

Why has the government's claim of its ownership of a land become a big issue. That someone had been selling on the roadside along Ikorodu for decades doesn't give the person the right to ownership. Let's throw sentiment away.

JESUS IS COMING SOON. REPENT

Wallie:

EXACTLY! In the US, if someone occupies your land exclusively for 20 years, then the person becomes the owner of the land even though you have title to the land. In England, the period is 12 years.

There are tests to be met before one can claim adverse possession. For example, (1) you have to use the land in such a way that everybody can see thereby giving notice to the owner, (2) your use has to be without permission of the owner, (3) you have to physically use the property, (4) you have to have exclusive use of the property, and (5) your use has to be continuous for the period required.


The moral of the law is, if someone occupies your real property (land) kick them off or give them permission to use it.

Bone that one o, that does not happen in Nigeria, the land you buy with your hard earned money still belongs to the government, it is just on lease.

Igbos! I have a message for you: These enemies of yours you see today, time shall come when you shall see them no more. They 'must' attack you from one direction and 'must' scatter in different direction. Those who hate you will continue to face God's hatred, and God will curse all who curse you. They will mock your predicament today and envy your enormous attainments tommorow. The jews will never be forsaken by God, instead, they will continue to own the wealth of nations. The time is already at hand.

Na wa 4 fashola

baysol:

Your exerpt is not only myopic it is want for adequate depth and truthfulness who borrow your grandfather oyo empire sodier? Another fakie fakie Igbo roach has crawled out of the dark crevise.

Anoda oloriburuku omo ale.
So fools like you have started deciding who is yoruba or ibo now? Even the OPC that doesn't have lots of educated members don't descend to this level.
What do you know of the old oyo empire?
Stupid M-Bleep.
Am not an internet warrior, •̸Ϟ•̸y contacts are on •̸Ϟ•̸y profile, omo ako ni mi, eyi toba to ninunyin kowa shebi oloriburuku.
I went to lasu and I do every.
I'm sure people like you are probably a non lagosian living in some jungle in lagos and taking things personal as if na your papa and lineage get lagos.

Wallie:

EXACTLY! In the US, if someone occupies your land exclusively for 20 years, then the person becomes the owner of the land even though you have title to the land. In England, the period is 12 years.

There are tests to be met before one can claim adverse possession. For example, (1) you have to use the land in such a way that everybody can see thereby giving notice to the owner, (2) your use has to be without permission of the owner, (3) you have to physically use the property, (4) you have to have exclusive use of the property, and (5) your use has to be continuous for the period required.


The moral of the law is, if someone occupies your real property (land) kick them off or give them permission to use it.

I guess we don't have that in Nigerian law... or do we??

GARRI (x7):


I guess we don't have that in Nigerian law... or do we??

It looks like you no longer have such a law! A cursory look at the Land Use Act seems to grant the government unreserved power over land issues.

An Act to Vest all Land compromised in the territory of each State (except land vested in the Federal government or its agencies) solely in the Governor of the State , who would hold such Land in trust for the people and would henceforth be responsible for allocation of land in all urban areas to individuals resident in the State and to organisations for residential, agriculture, commercial and other purposes while similar powers will with respect to non urban areas are conferred on Local Governments.(27th March 1978) Commencement.

http://www.nigeria-law.org/Land%20Use%20Act.htm

ypzilanti:

Lagos generates most of its revenue from taxes, hence a policy to drive people away does not favour the government. The government is only interested in driving non-tax paying individuals out.

If other tribes were to leave Lagos, as the bigots in Nairaland advocate, they will be left with huge infrastructure that the state cannot maintain. Travel is a great educator. Visit detroit in USA. A city of over 6 million that now has about 800,000 people. The city cannot maintain the place and is knocking down buildings to create 'green areas'. The police also cannot patrol effectively over a wide area with little population.

Its the population that creates the wealth in Lagos. Anybody selling a product or service knows this to be true. Even if you sell gala, you will know this to be true. But if you are a jobless bigot that has never run a business in your life, you will think its all about driving people away from Lagos so only you can sit and stare at the flyovers and empty office buildings to gloat in your foolishness.

I agree with you, but at the same time Lagos is still a jungle compared to other organized city like London, for Lagos to return sanity, painful decisions like this will surely be made.

Having been to the market before, I would say this action is long over due. Shame on the LCDA whose secretariat is a less than 5 minute walk from the market for letting it degenerate to this level. I would have loved a situation where the market is modernized and those ruffians who terrorize the place are ejected but will wait for further clarification on the digital village though before making further comments.

To the ethnic buffoons (both Igbo & Yoruba) on this thread and on other threads, if there was ever a place where Nigerian unity is symbolized, Katangowa Market would be that place. There is no tribe that is not represented in that place & you hardly hear of troubles. Ruminate on that while I remove my phallus and piss on the useless cesspits you call your heads.

gbadexy: It is myopic to wish non lagosians out of the state, I'm a lagosian by the virtue of the fact that •̸Ϟ•̸y great grandfather who was a soldier in oyo empire occupying dahomey then decided to stay in badagry. I collect bursary and benefit from all privileges accorded to indigenes.
Now back to the topic, lagos is developed because of its cosmopolitan nature and not because of its ports, other regions have ports.
It is ironic that the same lagosians that are crying that their population is higher than 9 million and are projecting it to reach 25 million to attain a mega city status would in another breath be saying outsiders should leave.
What makes lagos unique is the population and diversity.
If all non indigents of lagos were to leave, the place would be scanty and the population that ensures huge sales and services that attracts investors would drop and the place would be scanty.

A mind of wealth and positive thought. Well said. It truly bothers me, this ethnicity issue. It is killing our development and burying us in poverty. I support David Mark on the issue of Residency and abolishment of Ethnicity. I was of the opinion that Nairaland was a place for advance minds, however surprisingly I still get to see this ethnicity crap. When a mind begins to conceptualise an opinion of such, I believe such mind is nothing but a low life. Regardless of the anonymous factor attached to Nairaland, a physical review of pro-ethnicity groups will reveal backwards in their lives and perception of things. CHANGE IS A CONSTANT THING. Embrace it, Adapt with it and get use to it.

drnoel:
Am sure u read ur comment before u posted. Why so much hatred of the SE and later u would come and say one Nigeria. Pls people should grow up and try not to allow bitterness or sentiments overshadow u when u post comments. Children read our comments on NL. My little cousin just asked me what u meant and I didn't know what to tell him. Look, now citizenship is the future not indigenicity. Now am not sure how the Lagos land laws are but if it says someone who has occupied a land for 30 yes should have claims to it, what's stops the Lagos state government from trying to keep its promise. This is peoples livelihood we are talking about.

Well said. I'm frm SW but i'm not impressed wit his comment at all. Hatred has eaten deep into us. About d land laws, i think it's important 2 understand dem first b4 making claims. Fashola is a lawyer nd i believe he had done his homework first.

ypzilanti:

Lagos generates most of its revenue from taxes, hence a policy to drive people away does not favour the government. The government is only interested in driving non-tax paying individuals out.

If other tribes were to leave Lagos, as the bigots in Nairaland advocate, they will be left with huge infrastructure that the state cannot maintain. Travel is a great educator. Visit detroit in USA. A city of over 6 million that now has about 800,000 people. The city cannot maintain the place and is knocking down buildings to create 'green areas'. The police also cannot patrol effectively over a wide area with little population.

Its the population that creates the wealth in Lagos. Anybody selling a product or service knows this to be true. Even if you sell gala, you will know this to be true. But if you are a jobless bigot that has never run a business in your life, you will think its all about driving people away from Lagos so only you can sit and stare at the flyovers and empty office buildings to gloat in your foolishness.

The fact that you need tax money doesn't mean you have to allow and promote lawlessness and illegality. Of what use is any tax money if all you have is lawlessness and breakdown of law and order.

Upholding the law is a good virtue, something many nigerians and useless leaders in Nigeria knows nothing about.

superbloke:
Well said. I'm frm SW but i'm not impressed wit his comment at all. Hatred has eaten deep into us. About d land laws, i think it's important 2 understand dem first b4 making claims. Fashola is a lawyer nd i believe he had done his homework first.

Maybe u r right about fashola doing his homework first due to his law background but after the LATSMA and that his traffic law I've also come to realise he is firtsly a politician as well as a lawyer. Well we will see the outcome.