A Widow’s Struggle: Home Demolished Without Notice
Mrs. Olushola Lawal, a 52-year-old widow, shares her harrowing experience of losing her home in Eleranigbe, Igboloye, on the Ogungbose-Ilesanmi family land in Ibeju-Lekki. Her story is one of loss, injustice, and the struggle for justice in a community where land disputes have become increasingly common.
Life Built with Hard Work and Hope
Mrs. Lawal ran a small pastry business and had previously worked at Custodian Life Assurance Company. After relocating to Eleranigbe, she had to leave her job due to the long commute from Ikeja. She now supports her two children, aged 25 and 20, and lived a peaceful life in the house she built with her late husband, Ganiyu Aderemi Lawal, who worked with NIMASA as a top management staff member.
The family moved into their new home in January 2024 after construction was completed in December 2023. However, the peace was short-lived.
The Beginning of the Land Dispute
The land was originally purchased by Mrs. Lawal’s cousin in 2012 from the head of the Digboloye family, who has since passed away. After her husband’s death in January 2023, she received support from her elder brother, who introduced her to the Eleranigbe land. She paid N1 million for the plot, and together they built their home.
By 2025, rumors began circulating that the indigenous landowners had resold the land to land grabbers. As the Secretary of the Landlords’ Association, Mrs. Lawal took the issue seriously and invited the Baale (local chief) to address the community. He denied the claims, insisting that no ancestral land would be sold, especially one with family graves.
However, by December 2025, the rumors resurfaced, and the Baale again denied any wrongdoing, claiming he was being pressured with large sums of money but refused to sign any documents.
Confronting the Baale and Legal Steps
Mrs. Lawal confronted the Baale directly, showing him her house and explaining her investments—her late husband’s pension and life savings. He reassured her that nothing would happen to her home.
Despite this, the residents took precautions. They hired a lawyer, conducted a land survey, and initiated legal processes to secure ownership. But on February 18, a large group arrived with machinery and over 100 uniformed men, including police and civil defense officials, and began demolishing uncompleted buildings and farmlands.
The Baale was nowhere to be found. The next day, they were told the demolition was for road construction, but there had been no prior notice or official documentation.
No Notice, No Compensation
Some houses were marked with red paint, but not all. Mrs. Lawal’s house was not marked, and no court order or official notice was given. The developers later claimed they had bought the land from the Baale and his family, stating it was worth over N400 billion.
After contacting their lawyer, Mrs. Lawal learned that an agreement had been reached between the lawyer and the alleged land buyers. However, during the meeting, the lawyer appeared too familiar with the buyers and suggested that the residents should accept whatever compensation was offered.
The Baale was present but showed no concern. At one point, he even laughed and suggested holding another meeting.
A Broken Promise and a Lost Home
When Mrs. Lawal tried to arrange another meeting with the lawyer, he insisted that the houses would be demolished regardless of whether the residents accepted compensation. He claimed they lacked strong documents, and Mrs. Lawal only had a land receipt and Deed of Assignment from the Baale.
She called her 84-year-old father for help and reached out to a friend at the NTDA, who advised her to accept whatever compensation she could get.
No clear amount of compensation was given, and after providing her bank account details, she saw that only N2.2 million had been deposited—far below the N30 million she had invested in the home.
The Day of Demolition
On March 5, officials arrived with a caterpillar machine. Police claimed they were maintaining order but allowed the demolition to proceed. The workers threatened Mrs. Lawal, saying, “There is nothing anybody in this country or anywhere in the world can do about it.” Her son and she cried helplessly as their home was destroyed.
Current Situation and Calls for Justice
Currently, Mrs. Lawal is staying in an unused shop and has moved to a woman’s house in the area. Her son has returned to school, and most of their belongings are scattered among three different people.
She reported the incident to the police and the public defender’s office. The public defender advised her to accept the compensation and leave it to God, which shocked her, as there had been no legal notice or proper valuation of her home.
This experience has left her traumatised. Life has become very difficult, and she has no stable income. Renting even a small place costs over N1.5 million, far beyond the compensation she received.
Impact on the Community
About 24 families in the community were affected. Compensation varied from N200,000 to N700,000. Most people suffered in silence.
The developers claimed it was a famous real estate owner who had bought the land from the Baale and his family.
A Final Plea for Justice
Mrs. Lawal wants justice. She says this is inhumane. As a widow trying to give her children a better life, this happened. She just wants justice.
