By Anthony Otaru, Abuja
A fierce legal battle has erupted at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, where a widow and her children are challenging Ondo State’s Deputy Governor, Olayide Owolabi Adelami, over ownership of a 2,500-square-metre plot of land in the Kaura District of the capital city.
The land, originally allocated to the family’s late patriarch, Mr. Ayomide Fasan, in February 2000, has become the centre of a bitter tussle after the family discovered that a Certificate of Occupancy had allegedly been issued to another party without their knowledge.
The discovery, they say, came after years of filing applications for re-certification, writing letters to the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS), and navigating administrative bottlenecks, efforts that were still pending when the family’s breadwinner died in 2011.
Shattered by the turn of events, the widow’s family was further stunned when a physical visit to the site revealed that the land had been fenced off and converted into a cement brick-making facility.
According to them, this was despite the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) having approved an administrative caveat they requested in July 2023 to prevent any activity on the land.
“This is not just about land. It is about dignity, memory, and the rights of ordinary Nigerians who must be protected from political predators,” a family member lamented, insisting that every block laid on the property reminds them of their late father’s dream being buried in injustice.
Sources within the Lands Department of AGIS also raised questions over the procedure, alleging manipulation of official records.
“The process of collecting a Certificate of Occupancy requires authority letters, valid identification, and biometric capture. But there is no record that these were complied with in this case,” one official told ThisNigeria under anonymity.
The family has accused those acting on behalf of the deputy governor of ignoring the official caveat and proceeding with construction.
They argue that Adelami’s position as Deputy Governor has emboldened him to push ahead, despite the dispute.
In his defence, Adelami’s legal team, Idi Danabubakar & Co., filed a preliminary objection, arguing that the court lacks jurisdiction to try him because of constitutional immunity.
Citing Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), they contended that as a sitting Deputy Governor, Adelami cannot be prosecuted until his tenure ends.
“The first defendant, immediately after his tenure as Deputy Governor of Ondo State, can then be subjected to trial under the suit at hand,” the lawyers argued.
For the widow and her children, however, the issue is not just a legal contest but a fight for survival and justice.
As their case drags on, their voices echo a wider concern: whether the rights of ordinary Nigerians can withstand the weight of political power and immunity clauses.
Observers warn that the dispute highlights systemic flaws in Nigeria’s land administration and raises broader questions about whether political office can be used to shield personal interests.
For now, the widow’s family is left waiting, caught between grief, bureaucracy, and the heavy wall of immunity.
