Family members of ‘Lagelu’, Ibadan have appealed to Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji and the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) to intervene and check the activities of some land grabbers, who are encroaching on the family’s land.
Lagelu, the founder of Ibadanland, was believed to have buried himself alive at a location around Apete-Awotan area of the town, and the spot had been designated as “Lagelu Shrine”.
But the family said land grabbers have sold the shrine to an Igbo man, who had subsequently erected a building.
The Lagelu’s family had on Thursday visited the shrine to appease their progenitor in commemoration of this year’s Isese Day.
They were, however, surprised to see an uncompleted bungalow already erected on the shrine, and many other plots sold out.
Mogaji of the Lagelu family, Chief Lamidi Tiamiyu; spokesperson of the family, Comrade Lukman Babalola (a.k.a Ita Ege); and the shrine Priest, Oloye Bamidele Elere Ogunjengboran Shiyanmade, expressed shocks over the development.
The trio called on Olubadan and CCII to immediately intervene in the matter and call the arrowhead of the land grabbers (name withheld) to order.
The Priest, Oloye Shiyanmade, lamented that it was unfortunate that arrowhead of the land grabbers, who is not an Ibadan indigene, had the guts to instruct those he sold Lagelu’s land to write his name boldly on a signpost erected in the area.