Five minutes of ''hell'' journey to Aiyetoro

 

Reporter's Diary:

 Five minutes  of ‘Hell’ journey to  Aiyetoro

L-R:Jide Tububo, Taiwo Abiodun and other passengers in the canoe from Aiyetoro to Ugboland seashore

L-R:Jide Tububo, Taiwo Abiodun praying , with other passengers

L-R:Jide Tububo, Taiwo Abiodun and other passengers in the canoe

Taiwo Abiodun who  visited Aiyetoro town , in Ondo state narrated his experience  on water.

The journey from Lagos to Ore was smooth. And again , the journey from Ore, Okitipupa , Igbokoda and  to Ugboland was relatively  fair. But as  I arrived  Ugboland seashore in Ilaje Local government  and sighted   canoes, children,    mothers who  strapped their babies on their backs and also 

toddlers in the canoes I then  developed goose pimples.  I shrank and urinated in my pant.

   Once again I   glanced at   the Atlantic Ocean  and saw    an area  that was  still, and immovable. This murky  river  pretended to be still, yet  moving slowly.   And when   I saw and felt  the  bubbles of the waves ,I gave a heavy sigh.

 Then I remembered my family   far away. I looked at the sky , and shook my head. I quickly  remembered some of  my   good and  two –faced  friends who are like the Greek mythological Janus. I remembered those  who had offended me and  I  forgave them  all   when  I remembered the Lord’s prayer that we should forgive  our debtors  .I remembered the good jokes and the nice times we had together .  Different thoughts flooded my mind. I now know that life is sweet.

 But now it is   either head or tail. Yes, it is   either success or failure.  I told my professional colleague and childhood friend Jide Tububo [ aka Modulo]who accompanied me   that we should turn back,  but he insisted  and said  ‘’Taiye,  no going back!’’. 

I then   remembered   Alexander the Great  , the  Macedonian King who     during  the Peloponnesian War  went to break the bridge and told his soldiers that  there was  no going back, he asked them to summon courage and fought gallantly .The troops  eventually won the war..

I went to  the woman selling local gin‘ogogoro’ by the seashore and   took  four, five shots to dwarf my cowardice and then called my Editors to tell them where I was.  I called my twin brother, Kehinde who is   far away in  Canada where I was.  I called my wife and children too . I  called Engineer Olanipekun Adebeye in Owo to inform other friends on   the journey  I had embarked on. Then I  jumped  into the canoe.

 As the sea man started the engine, I  became a Born- Again Christian  and in a jiffy  I  started reciting Psalms 23, 16, and 91 as my wife instructed me on phone. I now knew the value of a wife and a woman in one’s life.  I  begged God for forgiveness. I then remembered that   it  has been long I  went  to church.  I now believed there is a place called hell,  the hottest place .  I soliloquised like a mad man and other passengers   on board  were  staring  at me .They looked   at me as a novice or new comer or an  idiot. Yes, call me any name by now , label me or tag me whatever you like, my mouth has become sealed  without using gum. Now   the canoe took off , it first started  moving slowly and I then remembered that I had no life s jacket!,  When I demanded for one , they all burst into laughter. I  now know that I was doing the FIRST thing LAST!

Now in the middle  of the deep blue sea  I could see and feel the sea waves and  the  splashing water  and  its foaming but  when the boat kept on speeding  and bouncing   and tilting sideways ,  I became a prayer warrior and started to speak in tongue. I sang Bob Marley’s  Redemption song of Old Pirate  ,Yes  they rob I , sold I to the Merchant ships minutes after they took I  from the bottomless pit , but my hand was made strong by the hand of the Almighty ........the songs of Freedom.....As another boat sped by and  rocked our own boat my heart pumped the more, I started another song:   Oh, Please don’t you rock my boat , Don’t rock my boat , cause I  don’t  want my boat to be rocking ......

  I looked backward and saw the torrents of water moving slowly. I looked   sideways  and saw water. At the front   was endless water that comfortably stayed where they are. And again I remembered the late Afro King    Fela  Anikulapo Kuti’s song that, Trouble dey sleep jeje, yanga go wake am.

Then the engine stopped abruptly on the sea, and I screamed ’’ I am in trouble’’. But   nobody blinked   an eye. And I remembered   the last  words  of Jesus Christ on the cross ‘it is finished’.  I looked at my ceramic- built wrist watch and asked when we would get to our destination   which I had been told would not last than five minutes, but   nobody answered me. I was like a moron, a buffoon and idiot.  The man started the engine again and we sped   off. We   eventually berth at 6.59pm and I shouted   hallelujah.

 As I  made  effort to jump out of  the boat and land on the sea shore  I almost  fell back  into the river but  I quickly    held unto a  pole.  I ran out and was free .I later went to take bottles of beer to celebrate my   safely arrival while my friend lighted his Rothmans cigarette   and smoked like chimney, unperturbed.

 But in the night during our discussion with some youths they warned us that we should have put on  life jackets as many people had  drown and apart from that , the river had been dredged and has become deeper.  Again, on hearing this I could not sleep throughout the   night. I went to the toilet 20 times and pee 30 times like a diabetic patient. I started having night mares .

Despite  my sleepless night.  I remembered the late  D.O Fagunwa, a Yoruba novelist that  I have written a lot about  on how he fell into  River Niger in Bida . I thought of my family members again across the Atlantic Ocean . I thought of my friends and jokes.  Again, I remembered   the last words of Jesus Christ on the cross ‘it is finished’.

I had my bath at 5.00am   in the hotel we lodged. I went out again and took ogogoro gin to suppress my fear.  In the morning I fell into a pool of water which I believed was   due to the ogogoro I had taken or my   nightmares or bad  signals or premonition of what  will happen.   I now remembered Patience Saduwa a professional colleague  in the office who used to tease me in the office that if I wanted  to marry her I should  go and swim across river  Ethiope in Delta State. I thought of the people living in Riverine Area , people in Lagos who pass through Carter Bridge and Third Mainland bridge on daily basis but cannot swim yet the   government did not provide  any safety measures for anybody or train Lagosians   the rudiments of  swimming  as  a caring and good government should.

We sailed again at Ugboland , and  I became happy.

Now  , I started ruminating over many things:What if  I had drown? , our paper will give me an obituary page.  Many will say curiosity kills the cat , Babalawo of The Nation is dead.  He went to look for news and died there.  People would say he was looking for award- winning story but   what  of before they discovered my body? They would have searched  and searched  for my body which would have been  heavily bloated like a balloon .  Who will travel a  7- hour journey to attend my burial  by the sea side?

  Eventually some would say they  had buried  the Alakori [ the idiot] boy by the river side.

  Since my return from Aiyetoro town I have been having sleepless nights seeing the great risk i took by crossing the sea without life safety jackets . Again seeing  able- bodied, educated, enlightened  and healthy graduates who  turned to  fishermen overnight  while the  Federal  and state government are watching.  

This is a town that produces petroleum yet nothing to show for it . No news about  the NDDC’s stolen funds o f N67 billion again yet there is no sign that the area is enjoying the money from OMPADEC. Now, Political jamboree is going on in Ondo State and  in Abuja  by the Federal Government.  Who will blame this youths  if they  become criminals?. I would have become a militant   if  ……….

 Now, I  know why Adaka Boro and Ken Saro- Wiwa were fighting .The federal government is drilling oil from these communities yet not developed and the water is polluted and no employment for their children . This is cheating .A slap on their faces.

When I  remembered that I forgot my cell phone charger in the hotel room where I passed the night  my heart beat increased.  To go back or not to go back and pick it ?  To blazes with   the charger. Even   if I forgot my Blackberry  and the latest i pad - to hell with  them . I am not   only having  hydrophobia   but seeing the unemployed graduates  who are now fishermen  is nauseating, disgusting, and irritating. It is  callous.

When the sad news  of  the drowning of the three Policemen, and INEC officials was reported last week, I felt sorry  for them .My condolence goes to their family members  as my experience on the water  reminded me the lapses the federal and state government had, at least they should have provided the officials life jackets.

If I should go there again  I could spark off revolution against the state and federal government.  I can  even shoot the local Government  chairman.  I  Swear. Shikena

Five minutes in ‘Hell’

L-R: Jide Tububo, Taiwo Abiodun and other passengers on the sea on their way from Aiyetoro, Ondo state

L-R:Jide Tububo, Taiwo Abiodun, the reporter praying with other passengers in the canoe one their way from Aiyetoro, Ondo State

The Nation - Five minutes in ‘Hell’

Taiwo's World: Pastor who visited Hell

Taiwo's World: Pastor who visited Hell: buckets of water being poured on him ‘what I saw   in heaven and hell ’ This carpenter –turn...

After Oladele Olashore :who is the next king?

When Oba Oladere Olashore died recently in a London hospital, tradition was broken as his demise was announced on the internet. This has not gone well with Iloko people. Taiwo Abiodun visited the town and reports

The rustic Iloko community, in Ilesa, Osun State was very rural and undeveloped. There were hardly any schools, hospitals, hotels or social amenities of note. It was strictly a silent agrarian community. That was before the ascension to the throne of the Oba Oladele Olashore, who recently joined his ancestors.




He turned the little community into an Eldorado. When The Nation visited the town last week the late monarch’s kinsmen wore long faces and were still in mourning. Irrespective of age and status, both young and old, they were all mourning. Market women, petty traders and all wore long faces and were not ready to entertain any questions from a reporter.
Asked why they were so forlorn, one of the community elders retorted in a voice laced with a mild anger, "Why would we not be sad?’’ Casting his eyes afar he looked ahead and added, "Look, young man, the late monarch tarred our roads, brought electricity and other first class things to this small town. Who knows Iloko before? It was a real bush, but this man transformed it to become a first class town by building a five-star hotel affordable hotel, one of the best schools in the country where the high and mighty bring their children and wards to. He also established an affordable Model College and paid the school fees where an average family can also send their children and wards to study. Aside that he built a stadium of high class. Please, you can go …we are still mourning’’
Torrents of tributes
At the palace a Register of Condolence has been opened in honour of the late monarch. Among the earliest dignitaries that have signed are the Minister of Defence (State), Erelu Olusola Obada who wrote in red: "Here to commiserate with the good people of Iloko- Ijesha , the chiefs and the family of our dear Kabiyesi on his passing into glory. Kabiyesi will forever be remembered for turning Iloko into Eldorado, for the gift of Olashore International School, the Model Secondary School and other great things he did for this town. He will also be remembered for his service to Nigeria as Secretary of Finance after having been Managing Director of First Bank. An astute banker and philanthropist, a lover of people, caring and always understanding .We shall all miss Kabiyesi dearly .May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace."
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, Olubuse II sent representatives who wrote on his behalf "The heartfelt sympathy of His Imperial Majesty and condolence to the family and all the people of Iloko in particular and Ijesa land in general is hereby delivered. May his soul rest in peace. Amen"

In his own condolence message Dr. Tunji Abayomi wrote "My Dear Sir, if you can hear the voice of my wife Foluke and mine you will shriek at our voice of our gratitude.You inspired my wife to go into nursing where she became a national leader.You gave to me [your in law]the confidence of relationship. You were worried about Nigeria’s condition …. It’s tough to say bye bye, Kabiyesi. O digba, o digbere, o doju ala. Sunre o."
One of the community elders, Pa Amos Owoeye (73) said the ancient town has lost a rare gem, he lamented over the demise of the monarch and declared: "Araba tree has fallen. His death is painful. We are all mourning for him and mourning for the town too. The late monarch was very close to the old and young. He rescued us from slavery. Before now this place was a thick bush and for a person who had travelled far and wide to decide to come and settle and invest here is not easy. We pray we have such a person again.’’
The breaking of a long tradition

Prince Tunde Olashore ,75 ,who is the immediate younger brother to the late monarch could not hide his feelings and that of the royal family at what he called a betrayal of custom with the announcement of the monarch’s demise shortly after it occurred. He said this was not in tune with Yoruba culture and the status of the monarch. He blamed the leakage of the news on one security man (a Nigerian) who works in the hospital in London where the late monarch died. According to him, "While I was hiding the news of his death from the people in order to follow the rules and culture of Yoruba land, a man [ names withheld ] who is a Yoruba man and works in the hospital where my late brother died called people and posted it on the internet. I expected it to be announced after seven days. It was very painful that the news broke out and the media got wind of it, though they were very careful to disclose their source." He expressed regrets that modernity has eroded our cherished culture. "Our culture is dying and it is painful, our children cannot speak Yoruba language again, this is bad for our culture."

He said way back in 1989 when their father who was also the monarch joined his ancestors this was kept secret for about two weeks!

Palace after the demise of the monarch

When The Nation visited last week, the palace was virtually empty. The royal stool was empty while all the chairs once occupied by the chiefs were vacant. The vast palace was devoid of activities.

No trumpets were blown to wake up the king he had slept the eternal sleep! All the security officers were mournful while the chiefs no longer met in the palace, as they were busy preparing for the burial. There were a handful of security officers at the gate to ensure security of the palace.

The race for the next king

Though the little town is still mourning the loss of the great monarch, the search for a suitable successor has begun. There are indications that one of the late monarch’s sons may join the race. There are four ruling houses in Iloko. These are: Ajagbusi Ekun, Eyebiokin , Agusuoogun and Alatise.

A source in the palace praised the late monarch for his contributions to the development of the town. Prince Eyebiokin Iloko Ijesa who is from one of the ruling houses said the kingmakers would decide who will be the next king. He said Oba Eyebiokin Akijo who died in 1949 was succeeded by the late Oba Olashore [the father of the recently deceased monarch], who also succeeded his father.

He added "I must confess that there is no controversy over who would be king here since we have ruling houses and all the ruling houses had ruled at one time or another."

According to him, before a new monarch is picked "the town will still consult the Ifa oracle while Christians will pray" He said none of the four ruling houses is ruled out of the contest to choose a new king. "We have the chieftaincy committee called kingmakers of 14 people which I am the head. By the time we are ready or by the time people showed interest we would know. Nobody showed interest when the late Oba came in, he did not show interest. We started going to the ruling houses asking them to send people and then we would screen."

On what it would take to succeed a king with such a larger than life reputation and track records, he said "Whoever wants to come out must have sterling qualities. One that is educated not necessarily a Phd holder. Now, it is even tougher he (the late Olashore) had taken it to higher level. Somebody who will ascend it must be able to develop the town, he must not necessarily be a millionaire, but must be able to develop the town, do something for himself, for his immediate family, and be a philanthropist."

Burial arrangements

The time, how and where the monarch is going to be buried are yet to be disclosed. While some said he would be buried in his palatial white house located inside the town a few others said he might be buried in the palace courtyard where his ancestors were buried according to tradition. But here the question of Christianity and tradition comes up. Will he be buried according to tradition? Prince Eyebiokin, who is also the mouthpiece of the kingmakers and the community, said the late monarch will be buried according to both Christian and the traditional rites. "We don’t tell the exact date he would be buried, that is why it’s part of the mystery. It is not fetish. The mystery is when he would be buried not everybody will be there but the children will be there, you cannot keep the children away. The seven days of mourning has ended. He was a Christian and they will take control and later the traditional rites will be performed’’

Since he was very close to the late monarch, he was asked what he thinks the late monarch would like to be his epitaph, he said, "I remember that during a television interview with him about three years ago , he was asked what he wanted to be remembered for , he said to the reporter he would remember that he had a three-hour interview with him! If read the condolence register you will see what the people say about him, this is an open testimony of what he had done for them in life."

High Chief Sola Ogunsanya who is the second in command said, "I am the acting Oba when a monarch passes on. All the duties he was doing like the head of the community, Council of chiefs, head of the king makers have been passed to me. There is nothing like burying 10, 20 people along with the Oba, there is nothing like that."

A walk through the town showed in such awe Oba Olashore was held and loved by his people. There is no doubt that he was a modern builder of Iloko who brought the little town not only to national limelight but international recognition.

Regent Ogunsanya

Who will occupy this throne?

Pastor who visited Hell

buckets of water being poured on him

‘what I saw  in heaven and hell ’

This carpenter –turned pastor who claims to have  been to hell and heaven reveals what he saw in these  two places. Now, anytime he narrates what he saw in hell , he would be feeling the  physical  burning of the  heat in hell. He   experienced the hell fire again last week at an open field in Aboru-Ipaja. Taiwo Abiodun writes

Anytime he opens his mouth  and reveals  what he saw and  experienced  in hell he feels  the burning sensation on his body emitted by the hell fire  and then  keeps  on screaming  on top of his voice while about 30 - stand by drums of water would be poured on him to  cool him down .He foams  from the mouth and become unconscious  for 12 to 13 hours before he could regain his strength again. This experience started    since 2001.

Welcome to the life of   Pastor Moses Ezekiel   of The Heavenly Vision World Evangelical Ministry who claimed he was in trance   in 1987 and visited   hell and heaven  .

‘I was alone  in my room in 1987  when I went into  trance  and visited  heaven and hell .In  hell I felt the heat , its like when you are in Lagos here but feeling the heat from Abuja.  I saw  a lot of people from different  races , black  and white  burning and crying .I heard  the voice of a woman crying  and  begging  and pleading  to come  back to the world   to receive Christ  Jesus,  she said her husband caused   her to be where she was  –hell.’’

He continued  ‘A youth  cried that it was his friend who said  asked them  to  enjoy  the world a little  but now found himself in hell.   A man was crying and begging for water  but there was no water  for him to drink ‘’said  the 44year-old pastor , who had preached in  about 216 places.

According   to Ezekiel, paradise is full  of gold , the  road , houses  and everything  is gold , ‘’I saw many people in white garment  in paradise  while some had  crowns , stars on their heads .Others were without crown but   wore only white garments  praising God. I saw  Jesus Christ, He is handsome , huge and beautiful .He is a tall man .It is not the picture that we frame on the walls in our parlours that  we  call Jesus, he is different entirely.

‘Jesus  drew the cloud  aside  and we were looking at the earth and the world .He said’’ see those  who claim  they  are holy , who said  their names are in the book of life .Men are wearing  knickers    and  with  punk  hairstyle to church .Women are putting on wrong things, burning  their head  to my house while pastors quarrel over money and positions . Tell them to change from their ways,  go and preach the salvation’’

On when and how the heat started from his body, the pastor said ‘’anytime I am revealing what I saw in hell I will be feeling the heat from my tummy  and it started from cooling it with sachet of water  then  the heat spread to  my body while vapour would be coming from my head while  buckets of water  would be poured on me  from buckets of water to drums of water until it went up to 20 , 30drums of water. If they don’t pour  water  on me to cool me down  I  could  faint as my blood would been  dried and my eyes would  have changed.

‘’I would be in coma for 12 to 13 hours. In order to regain my strength  again I would need to shout 100 halleluyah, jump up  and regain my strength , then fresh anointing would come on me  and I will become whole again.’’

Asked whether other men of God accept his claims, he responded ‘’many believed while many  did not , but I thank God that I have won many souls to God to gain paradise’’

Pastor Joseph Adegboye Adeniyi of Strong Tower Pentecostal Missionary Church, Aboru-Ipaja said ‘’I invited the pastor for a crusade last week  and it happened again at the open field  here. I am convinced that God is using him to warn the world that there is hell.’’

Mr Julius Adegunna the publisher of PTL News Christian  magazine  described the experience as shocking , he said ‘’ through out my life I have never seen such thing .I have never witnessed such . The pastor was screaming on top of his voice that he was feeling burning sensation and of hell and drums of water were being poured on him , he was rolling on the ground .It was too much until he was bundled and driven off in a Bus .

While some argued that he could be faking,  others said it could be  hallucination while  some said he might need medical experts to diagnose the burning sensation  for it is unbelievable.  

Land grabbers :villages invaded

Abule Tisa

Ajambata village

Church in Ajambata destroyed by suspects

Pa Albert Omoniyi,97years old

Ajagungbale,

Land grabbers   sacked   villages

For the people living   in Abule  Tisa  , Abule   Ajambata,  in Ogun state , the  fear of  land speculators [aka Ajagungbale] is  the beginning of wisdom for them .  Taiwo   Abiodun  who visited the two places  reports                                                                                                                                                                                                      Two   villages in   Ogun   state   have been   deserted.  They are Abule  Tisa and Abule  Ajambata . According  to the villagers  they  are  constantly attacked by  hoodlums and land speculators with the  connivance  of some fully armed to -the -teeth   policemen while some of the village heads have  deserted  the places to avoid being killed .

When The Nation visited the villages  the villagers  were all   in sad state .While some are crying that their land had been confiscated others are crying that they would soon  lose their farmland to land speculators  . In fact   some are afraid to come out from their houses  for of  being attacked .Others are crying that  land grabbers are unleashing terror on the land they  inherited from their forefathers and had been living for long .While the villagers lamented that their cash and food crops had been demolished by land speculators in order to take the land from them. They also wept over   what they called  ‘unnecessary police protection’  of their enemies  by the Nigerian Police.

‘’This is not the first or second time this is happening   to us ,  the land speculators   are always here to harass , and kill  us  and this is a trying period for us ‘’,  the Baale of Abule Tisa , Folorunsho Soetan,67, said  in tears , he continued ’’ they have almost killed everybody here, while others were sent packing we have refused to leave this place , for it belongs to our forefathers .But because this is a virgin land , and we are rich in cash crops  these land grabbers have eyes on our land and  are disturbing us ’’.

According to the villagers, trouble started   in the early hours   of April 12 when about  40 hoodlums and   fully armed Mobile  police men  invaded the villages and sent the villagers packing .Properties  and farm produce worth  thousands of naira were destroyed .  Not only  this , the only church  in the village ,St John’s Anglican Church has its big decorated  glass reduced to smithereens  while the plastic  chairs  in the church were also  destroyed.  Some of the   mud   houses  had  their  wooden doors pulled down . Apart from this, many of the villager  were wounded  a  result this  many   fled for their dear  lives as they  ran into the bush for cover .

 The two villages have about 42 houses made up of mud bricks . While   Abule   Ajambata has 18 mud houses excluding the only church ,  the St John’s Anglican Church ,  Abule Tisa also  has about 24 mud  houses .These villages have been under constant attacks for  some time  . ‘’We  are attacked both day and night because  our  villages  are   far away from the town or city  and  they are in the belly of the bush  so  one could unleash terror without anyone taking notice.

Narrating the episode    Mrs Cecilia Adeyemi ,60, a native of Ajambata and a peasant farmer    said  ’’ it was like a movie .It was around 4am on April 12 when armed to the teeth Mobile  policemen  and the hoodlums struck. They beat hell out of the old people who have no energy to run and the young ones caught unaware’’, Mrs Adeyemi  stated .     . According to  her  she has been suffering in the hands of the hoodlums who come there to seize their farmland .’’I   don’t   know the type of government we have , we are not safe .Some of the land grabbers come in almost all the time asking us to leave our village and relocate. We asked the reason of which they cannot provide the answer. At times they would come with fully armed to the teeth policemen and from SARS  to humiliate us .Recently ,  they invaded this village and destroyed our properties .The only church we have here  has its chairs destroyed  , they went into our house one after the other, pulled down the wooden  doors , beat some of the old people here up while others fled into the bush for safety.’’

Another victim Akanji Ayeleso , 62, said he had been farming and living in the village since he was young and the hoodlums had been coming to their farmland since three years ago asking them to leave the village as they  want to use the farmland. They said they are land grabbers , ajagungbale and  needed the village. He narrated his ordeal ‘’ sometimes ago about 30 t0 40 armed police men  among them were Mobile police officers who covered their faces with shield came to the village in the early  around d 4am.They beat both the old and the young to a coma while some sustained injuries others fled and those who cannot  run were beaten .They said they are from SARS and were mobilized to do the shady job to evacuate them from the farmland Another night they came and took the generating plant we are using in the village to pump water from the bore hole. The even promised to come back anytime again as they said since the place is in the bush nobody could do nothing to them.

Now the villagers had gone extra mile to defend themselves in case they  are attacked   again, said Kayode Falola ,’’ Now it will be blood for blood . We are now after the policemen  and the land grabbers. I swear many will go mad   if they dare come to disturb us and since we don’t enjoy any security from  the government  therefore  our destiny is in our hands . We have been fair enough not to kill anyone of them but they keep on being using Police to harass us for nothing sake. The cheating is too much .We   have used trees  to block the entrance  to the   village .If we heard any sound of vehicle coming we would quickly know that enemies are coming  and will be ready to deal with them ’’, Falola said

Felicia Odunayo said this is not the first time of invading the village , she said ‘’ about three years ago , the invaders came ,  brought caterpillars and started bulldozing the place  and they  confessed that  it is not their land but wanted to act as it  was theirs as it was being done  in the olden days .They said  they  would like to conquer the place and take it as conquest .They said they are backed by the Police and would sack us when they are ready’’.

Odunayo narrated how her husband  was killed ‘’ The hoodlums smashed my  husband’s head when  he was sleeping in the midnight .They removed four of his  teeth  in the year 2009, that was how  he was sent into his early grave. Now , this people  have come again and boasted that no newspaper will report the story and that they had gagged the press, yet we are surprise that no print media or electronic media carried it. Three weeks ago they were here again and they  expended their bullets on us and destroyed many things’’  .

Mrs.  Omoseeni  Azeez  in  tears   narrated  how  she saw her 70 year old  mother was    macheted  to death  while sleeping  in the  early  morning of 2009 by the same hoodlums. She said’’ I came here  with my newly born baby  for my mother to assist me to nurse, but  in that early morning  some hoodlums who called themselves land grabbers were led by one Mutairu Owoeye  came in and used cutlass to hew my mother while sleeping ,  and  that was how she bled to death. She was buried amidst tears. I cannot leave this place   for I was born and bred here and I married here too. Where am I going?.  I don’t know what the government is doing to   rescue us from these people .We   are not safe here’’. 

For  Madam  Dorcas Omotunde, 70,  [aka aya   Oluwo] she is fed up with the  harassment and intimidation the police and the land grabbers have  been unleashing on them, she said ‘’ I have been living here for long , I  am 70 years of age. I don’t know   that it is way we are going to be living. Recently   I was preparing my  fufu for sale when the hoodlums came  to unleash terror on us around 4am  . I  could  not run but the little energy in me was used .   I could   have been dead by  now if now God  that saved me.

Rotimi  Akinde said he would never forget in a hurry how his younger brother Idowu was killed by these thugs who came into the village to kill  some of the villagers .I have been looking for ways to leave  the village  but as  a farmer , how would I leave my farming job again and at what age? I don’t know what the government is doing at all. For these people would bring policemen from Sango Police station at times from the SARS  just because we have no access to the press  and we are p

Pa Albert   Olawale   Omoniyi, 97, said he is fed up living in Abule Tisa .’’ I am weak and tired  and I am already old .I retired from the Custom s Service as senior Clerical officer in 1977, and had   since then  retired to my village, farming. Now, we are asked to vacate this village .The land grabbers   who called themselves   ajagungbale   would come with armed –to- the- teeth   Mobile Police men from Sango and SARS in Lagos to unleash terror on us .They do this because this place is far away from the town , and in the bush  and  government’s presence is not felt here at all and no government security  comes  here yet we fall under Otta Local government ‘’.

However, the villagers   alleged one   Chief Mutairu   Owoeye is the man behind the trouble as  he   brings   thugs  there   everyday   to unleash terror on them .’’ I   was  born and bred here , I retired and came back to my farming in my own village.   This is horrible as the   suspect, Owoeye brought   Mobile policemen   and thugs  here recently and beat a hell out of my people. Owoeye   asked us  to relocate and go to another place saying  that  he needed the land. It is a pity the man has connection all over Lagos   and has never been arrested with all the crimes he had committed   and this is unfair to these   village’’. However, the septuagenarian counseled Owoeye to learn from   the   late  Ejigbadero   who in the 70s was  a notorious land grabber  saying the man eventually ended  in gallows .

’’This is exactly   what Ejigbadero was doing until  nemesis caught up with him. I wish Owoeye   stopped all his evil deeds before it is too late, and the federal government too should  probe into the activities of these policemen who are being used by these land speculators.’’, Omoniyi  stated.

Pa Oluremi Odunayo the Baale of Ajambata said his people are being disturbed always  , ‘’ now I  just learnt that some of my people were taken away again to the police station. We are  being terrorized always .I am 84 years and I am not happy at all. I   am appealing to the state government to come into the matter, it is very urgent ‘’, he said .

But  they are not  faceless human beings, where are the thugs staying , investigation reveals that the thugs live in between the two villages .When The Nation visited the bungalow , he was advised not to go beyond his boundary as they are wielding all manners of arms from pen knife, axe to guns .’’There is a man that finances them, he is from Egun  in Badagry  and in his early 6os.He is called Mutairu   Owoeye, and  he  has backing from the police and uses his connection all over to do whatever  him.If the federal government and state government can come here they will see all what we are talking about.

Investigations revealed that Owoeye does his ‘job’ as land   protector  in Ogun and Lagos  states .In Mushi-Oginjo Community of Ikorodu and Shagamu Local government  he was alleged to have once attacked the community members  with armed  policemen to take their land .

A  developer /surveyor Teriba Adetunji of Kaatson  Associates said the man, Owoeye,  was once a  carpenter by profession  before he joined Almoroof Estate  and company , later he went to float his own company  and had been seizing other people’s lands. ‘’He uses policemen to deal with people , he has a lot of  court cases , but due to our government’s  style and method he  is always set free and had never been detained  for he has connections all over the place . He goes   to places like  Igbo Olomu in Ikorodu, Oke Igbodo, Oko Omi in Ota,Ijere, Oniyanrin   etc, there is a video clips to show his atrocities .

However, in an effort to stop using the Police to harass the community members a  letter was   written by Falana  & Falana’s Chambers to the Police Headquarters  ,Abuja  to  intimate the Headquarters   of  how  the SARS   they are being used  to terrorize the Mushin –Oginjo  Community  of Ikorodu  and Shagamu  local government areas by  Mutairu  Owoeye, Kamoru Lamina, Adebola Kajubo, Nurudeen Sanni, Rasheed Kaaji, and Akeem Alabi., the letter was dated August 25,2009.

Another letter was written to the Police Headquarters , Abuja  by His Royal Highness  Oba Olatunji A.Oriyomi , the Alatan of Atan informing the headquarters on how Mutairu  Owoeye and his people are terrorizing them over their land 27^{th July and}  24^th  August 2011.

Investigation revealed that  the land grabbers have  extended their nets to Badagry where the villagers are crying over what they claim as wicked .

Defending   himself ,  Owoeye denied all the allegations leveled against him and  said  that he is a complete  gentleman  and does not believe in either disobeying the court orders  or  flout the laws of the land . ’’ I am a law- abiding citizen. I don’t kill, and  I don’t have arms and ammunition .I defend the weak and the defenseless. The fact is  that  truth will  always prevail. I help those oppressed over their  land   to fight   injustice. When a man   obtains a judgment over his land I will help him safeguard   the land ,that is what I do and I have been in  this business  for over 22 years .If there is court judgment  my company will  assist the winner to protect  and sell .But, you see, when the loser comes to me asking me to  give them  portion  I will refuse , that is why they keep on mentioning my name .  ’’

On the issues concerning his being known all over Ogun and Lagos states as a thug and land grabber , he replied  ‘’ I am not surprised, it is the nature of my work .I  hate  cheating and that is why I am always  on the side of the cheated ones and  I assist them. If a client   has no document to support the ownership of a land I will not go there for I will not defend  a cheat  or an  illegally acquired land .  I will not do dirty business  , but if   my client   has all  the necessary documents I will work for him. The lands of Ajambata  and Tisa did not belong to those who claimed to be there, those occupying  these places  are illegal occupants and they had been advised to leave but they refused. They killed one David Ogbolu and that provoked me  , it is the villagers who have thugs and guns  . I did not have guns , I have told them to vacate the places for they are not the rightful  owners of the land ‘’

Owoeye admitted that he  has clients all over Ogun state, ‘’ I have clients in Agbara, Aja, Atan, Mowe and many other places .I am not a thug. I am doing a legitimate business and I have never been arrested  for  murder as these land grabbers or false owners are saying .’’

However, when The Nation got to the Land and Survey Bureau , Abeokuta  some of the  officials testified that land grabbers are in Ogun state terrorizing the villagers .’’It is unfortunate that Police are being used to terrorize innocent citizens  while the state and Federal government could  not say a word’’, the officials said but directed this reporter to the Special Adviser on land Matters ,Okemosan, but   the Commissioner  was not in the office when The Nation called.

When the Ogun state Police   Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa  Adejobi was contacted, he denied ever hearing of such.   He advised the villagers to get the names of the policemen who  are being used and said they should account for their deeds if the story is true.

Village Head of Abule Tisa, Soetan