Lagos allocation brings relief to judgment creditors, but landowners insist that roads, essential infrastructure and completion of outstanding allocations must follow.

For members of the Shangisha Landlords Association, the Lagos State Government’s allocation of land to affected owners represents more than an administrative decision. It is a significant breakthrough in a dispute that has consumed decades, outlived some of its original claimants and forced their children to continue a struggle over property their parents fought to recover.

After more than four decades of litigation and controversy, the affected landowners say they are finally seeing the outcome they had pursued through the courts. But while the allocation has generated relief and gratitude, they insist that the process must not end with the identification and distribution of plots.

They want the government to provide access roads and other essential infrastructure to make the allocated location habitable, while completing the outstanding allocations without further delay.

The dispute has centred on 549 plots of land and the implementation of court decisions, including a Supreme Court judgment delivered in 2012. The prolonged struggle has become a wider test of how judicial decisions are enforced when government institutions and competing interests are involved.

For the judgment creditors, the latest development is an opportunity to translate a legal victory into a practical outcome after years of uncertainty.

‘I Am Joyful That I Am Alive’

The emotional weight of the development was evident in the remarks of the association’s chairman, Chief Adebayo Adeyiga, who said he was grateful to have lived long enough to witness the allocation.

He recalled that several of those who began the legal battle had died, leaving their children to continue pursuing the family interests.

“I am very joyful that I am alive. So many of us who started this case are no more. It is only their children who have been communicating,” he said.

Adeyiga said the death of the original landowners did not diminish the importance of their claims or erase the resources they had worked to acquire during their lifetimes.

“We are not going to say that because they have died, we should do away with the resources they laboured for when they were alive,” he added.

His remarks captured the personal dimension of the dispute: for many families, the case was not simply about land but also about preserving property acquired through years of labour and ensuring that it could be passed on to the next generation.

Allocation Must Come With Infrastructure

Despite welcoming the government’s action, Adeyiga acknowledged concerns about the suitability of the allocated location and the additional resources that might be needed to make it habitable.

He said the landowners would not reject the allocation but expected the state to fulfil its responsibilities by providing the necessary infrastructure.

“We are not going to reject the land. The government knows that it has lost the case. The resources are there; it should provide what is needed to make the land habitable for the people,” he said.

The demand places infrastructure at the centre of the next phase of the process. Without roads and essential services, the landowners argue, the practical benefits of the allocation would remain limited.

Adeyiga also expressed concern that the dispute had continued long after the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in 2012. He urged public institutions and individuals to respect judicial decisions, particularly those delivered by the country’s highest court.

For him, the experience raises broader questions about the administration of justice and the willingness of powerful interests to comply with binding decisions.

“There is already a justice system, but people do not want to adhere to it. People use power to acquire other people's property through influence or money,” he said.

His position was that the challenge was not necessarily the absence of a judicial framework, but the failure to give effect to its decisions promptly.

Traditional Leaders Welcome the Development

The Baale of Shangisha, Yusuf Mutiu Ogundare, welcomed the allocation, describing the development as an important step towards resolving the longstanding dispute.

The Onirolu of Irolu, Oba Sikiru Adeyiga, who is also among the judgment creditors, equally expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Government.

Both traditional leaders acknowledged the intervention of the state government and other officials involved in efforts to advance the implementation process.

Their reactions reflect the significance of the development for the affected community, where the dispute has remained a longstanding concern.

Counsel: ‘A Triumph of the Rule of Law’

Counsel to the judgment creditors, Deji Fasusi, described the allocation as a triumph of the rule of law, expressing gratitude to the Lagos State Government, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and members of the state cabinet for their intervention.

Fasusi said the creditors had consistently sought the implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision and welcomed the government's action as a practical step towards achieving that objective.

“We are happy because we are seeing the triumph of the rule of law. What we have been battling for all along is that there is a judgment from the Supreme Court, and it has become law. Let it be respected,” he said.

He called on the government to provide adequate site services and access roads to enable the beneficiaries to develop their plots.

He also urged the authorities to ensure that the remaining allocations were completed promptly, stressing that the current progress should lead to a smooth conclusion of the exercise.

Fasusi appealed to residents to remain calm and patient while the process continued, encouraging cooperation with the government to facilitate the outstanding stages.

He further thanked Nigerians who had advocated respect for the rule of law and implementation of the Supreme Court judgment.

Government Explains Allocation Process

Earlier in the process, the Lagos State Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Hameed Oyenuga, representing the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), met with the judgment creditors at Alausa.

During the meeting, Oyenuga presented a map of the allocated area and explained the process, including the parcels earmarked for distribution.

The engagement formed part of the administrative steps towards implementing the allocation and clarifying how the plots would be distributed among the beneficiaries.

The government's intervention has now raised expectations among the landowners that the remaining stages will be completed without unnecessary delay.

The Real Test Begins Now

The allocation marks a turning point in a dispute that has endured for more than four decades. Yet, for the beneficiaries, the significance of the development will ultimately depend on whether the process is completed and the land becomes practically usable.

The outstanding tasks include providing access roads and essential infrastructure, completing the remaining allocations and ensuring that the beneficiaries can take possession and develop their plots.

The dispute also leaves an important lesson about the rule of law: a court judgment must translate into effective action if those who obtain judicial relief are to enjoy its benefits.

For the families who continued the struggle after their parents died, the allocation offers renewed hope that the resources their predecessors fought to preserve will not be lost to another generation of delay.

After decades of litigation, the Shangisha landowners have reason to celebrate. Their next demand is clear: let the allocation be completed, let the infrastructure follow, and let the long-awaited judgment be fully implemented