Ojora Royal Family Sues FG, CBN, SANEF Creatives Over Alleged Encroachment on National Theatre Land

The Ojora Royal Family of Lagos has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and SANEF Creatives Limited at the High Court of Lagos State over alleged unlawful encroachment and commercial development on portions of their ancestral land surrounding the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

In the suit filed by His Royal Majesty, Oba Abdul-Fatai Aremu Aromire, the Ojora of Ijora and Iganmu Land, and Chief Shamusideen Olaniyi Ojora, the Odofin of Ijora and Iganmu Land, the family is seeking declaratory and injunctive reliefs to restrain the defendants from further trespass and development on what they describe as “ancestral and judicially confirmed Ojora Family land.”

The defendants in the suit are the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and SANEF Creatives Limited.

The claimants, who instituted the action for themselves and on behalf of the Ojora Royal Family and Council, contend that the Iganmu land upon which the National Theatre and adjoining developments are situated forms part of their hereditary domain, which has been in their family’s possession for over 500 years under Yoruba native law and custom.

They stated that the Ojora Royal Family is one of the Idejo class of traditional land-owning families of Lagos — including the Oniru, Onikoyi, Aromire, Oloto, and Oluwa families — whose ownership rights over Iganmu, Ijora, and parts of Apapa and Surulere have been affirmed by multiple court judgments, including the Supreme Court.

According to the statement of claim, the family’s title to Iganmu land has been validated in several cases, notably in Chief Adesina Jinadu & Ors v. Chief Israel Esurombi Aro & Ors (SC/54/2005), where the Supreme Court on April 3, 2009, upheld their ownership. A warrant of possession was subsequently issued and executed by the Lagos State High Court on July 31, 2009.

Despite these judgments, the family alleges that the Federal Government, through the CBN and the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, unlawfully granted portions of the Iganmu land to SANEF Creatives Limited for commercial development around the National Theatre complex without their consent.

The claimants assert that SANEF Creatives has commenced extensive construction activities on the disputed land under the supervision of the Ministry and the CBN, describing these actions as a violation of their proprietary and constitutional rights.

They stated that they had written several protest letters between December 2022 and July 2023 to the relevant ministries and agencies demanding cessation of construction works, but that their letters were ignored.

They further cited several other judgments and consent rulings which reaffirmed their ownership, including judgments delivered in Suits No. LD/562/72, CA/L/86/2001, LD/212/2013, LD/2588LMW/2022, and LD/4148LMW/2022, which consistently confirmed the family’s ownership of the Iganmu land and adjoining areas.

The claimants maintain that the defendants’ actions are unlawful, null, and void in light of the long-standing judicial pronouncements affirming the family’s title.

In the suit, the Ojora Royal Family, through their counsel, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, of BALAW LLP, seeks several reliefs, including a declaration that the entire area known as Iganmu Land, including the land surrounding the National Theatre, forms part of the Ojora Royal Family’s ancestral property; a declaration that the acts of the defendants in granting, taking possession of, developing, or allocating any portion of the land without the family’s consent are unlawful, unconstitutional, null, and void; a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, privies, or assigns from further trespass, construction, development, or occupation of the said land; an order of possession compelling the defendants to vacate the disputed portions of land and restore possession to the claimants; and an order of compensation and damages for trespass and unlawful interference with the claimants’ proprietary rights.

The family stated that they had complied with the Pre-Action Protocol under the High Court of Lagos State (Expeditious Disposal of Civil Cases) Practice Direction No. 2 of 2019, and issued formal notices to all defendants before approaching the court.

The suit is yet to be assigned to a trial judge.