National Executives of the Zumratul Islamiyyah Society at the press conference on Monday
As Zumratul Islamiyyah Society, a Muslim organisation,  celebrated its 90th anniversary this week, it has called on both Lagos and Ogun State Governments to give back the lands taking along with schools during the time governments took over educational institutions from religious organisations. 
The society, through its President, Engr Mutiu Oladipo Gbajumo, said at a press conference to flag off a week long activities to celebrate the anniversary at its National Headquarters at Ita Akanni, Lagos Island on Monday, that it is worrisome that both Lagos and Ogun governments at different times in the past took over the schools built (primary and secondary schools) by members of the Zumratul Islamiyyah Society without any compensation.
“The Zumratul Islamiyyah Primary schools, are everywhere in Lagos. We have high school in Surulere, grammar school in Igbogbo Ikorodu, Yaba, Akute in Ogun State and other areas.  These schools were built on vast areas of land owned by the society. While the governments took over the schools, the remaining lands where the schools were built have been left unused since the time of taking over.
“What surprised us was that there are a lot of unused land upon which the schools were built on. We are not saying the governments should return the schools, but they should hand over the unused lands back to us for us to make use of them. The lands all together run to hundreds of hectares, ” Engr Gbajumo said.
Corroborating his President, the Deputy President, Alhaji Mohammed Bello Oyinlomo Damole, who is also the chairman of the Planning Committee of the anniversary, noted that the society had met with officials of the Lagos State Government on several occasions at the level of the Deputy Governor, who oversees the Ministry of Education.
“The present executives came on board two and half years ago. We obtained a letter from the government which exercised the land to us, but this letter is not enough for us to occupy the lands back. We want Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State to intervene. Previous efforts made only stopped at the Ministry of Education in Lagos. We believe that the Governor is not aware of our predicament. If these unused lands are given back to us, we can,  as an organisation,  make good use of them because we have lofty projects on our hands. We don’t want to make this situation a court case because we are aware of the Federal Government’s law on unused lands.  We want Governor Ambode to direct the Ministry of Education to handover the lands to us now, ” said Alhaji Damole who was a former Commissioner for Home Affairs in Lagos.
Meanwhile, the society has lined up series of activities to mark its 90th anniversary which runs from 25-31 December in Lagos. A Ziwa Day holds on Tuesday, 26th with a skill, poverty alleviation and empowerment programmes to be coordinated by Lagos ministries of agriculture, women affairs, youth, sports and social development.
On Wednesday, special prayers will be held for the founding fathers of the society, while a novelty match between Z. I. High School, Igbogbo and Z. I. Grammar School, Yaba old students.
Special Jumat Service and quiz competition are scheduled for Friday with conferment of the society’s Merit Awards on some of the founding fathers and a lecture by Dr Saheed Timehin holding on Saturday.
The grand finale is scheduled for Blue Roof , LTV 8, Ikeja. It will be a day of the final of Quran Recitation competition, lecture by Shaykh Habeeb Adam Al-Iloriy and goodwill messages from members of the founding families.