The Ogun State Government has formally arraigned the suspended Olu of Obafemi, Oba Taofeek Owolabi, on charges related to land grabbing and other criminal offenses.
The traditional ruler appeared before Justice Sunday Adeniyi at the Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta on Tuesday.
This development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday. Oba Owolabi, a member of the Egba Traditional Council, is currently under suspension from his position in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area due to similar allegations.
According to the statement, the charges brought against him include “conspiracy to sell property without authority, sale of property without authority, unlawful use of agents, forceful takeover of land, assault of a police officer, and obtaining by false pretence.”
The government alleged that Oba Owolabi unlawfully laid claim to 500 acres of land in Obafemi Owode and allegedly tricked a developer, Dr. Michael Adeyemi, into paying ₦75 million for the property.
The monarch reportedly failed to remit the payment to the rightful landholding families and instead deployed thugs to occupy the land.
One of the thugs allegedly attacked a resident with a machete, while Oba Owolabi himself was accused of assaulting a police officer from the state’s anti-land grabbing task force.
The Ministry’s statement clarified that the monarch remains presumed innocent until proven otherwise, but also detailed the efforts made by authorities to address the situation.
“Oba Owolabi withdrew those cases subsequently but never submitted to the House’s investigations. The House Committee would eventually recommend that Oba Owolabi should be prosecuted for land grabbing,” the statement read.
It further stated: “Under the leadership of the paramount ruler of Egbaland, HRM Oba Adedotun A. Gbadebo, CFR, the Alake of Egbaland, the Egba Traditional Council summoned Oba Owolabi several times, but Oba Owolabi defied those invitations.
The Ethical Committee of the Egba Traditional Council also engaged Oba Owolabi to no avail. Thus, on 13 December 2024, the Egba Traditional Council suspended Oba Owolabi from his office as Olu Obafemi for conducting himself in a manner entirely unexpected of a traditional ruler. That suspension is still in effect.”
Despite perfecting his bail conditions, Oba Owolabi’s trial is ongoing.
The Ogun State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing justice and restoring order to land management in the state.
“We would like to assure all members of the public to keep faith with our efforts to restore sanity to land administration in Ogun State and to draw confidence from our resolve to prosecute Oba Owolabi.
“As long as it is in our power to do so, we will resist all land grabbers, no matter how highly placed they appear to be,” the statement added.
