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They alleged that the takeover was to pave the way for the siting of more manufacturing industries in the area.

However, the state government through its Bureau of Lands and Survey claimed that it had paid owners of land in the area the sum of N300m as compensation.

Many of the villagers denied receiving such money, arguing that only a handful of them, mostly settlers, were compensated.

They accused the state government of being insensitive to their plight.

They also alleged that the government had already acquired 440 hectares of the community’s land mass of 500 hectares and sold it to manufacturing companies.

The villagers noted that the state government had marked out another 30 hectares from remaining 60 hectares for siting of industries, which they said would render them homeless and without any ancestral roots.

They displayed placards, some of which read: ‘Ogun State Government, please, leave our ancestral land’; ‘Leave our forefathers’ land for us in Areke, we are begging you’; and ‘Areke people are begging government to please, vacate our land now’.

The protesters appealed to the state government to shelve the planned acquisition of any part of the remaining 60 hectares of the community land and the demolition of the few remaining houses in the village.

The spokesperson for the community, Odufora Awojebe, said over 300 houses would be affected and over 1,000 residents would be rendered homeless.

He appealed to the government to consider the plight of the villagers now confronted with the loss of their ancestral home, adding that taking over the remaining 60 hectares, which included the land earmarked for the construction of schools, market and hospital, would be tantamount to exterminating the entire community.

“We know the governor as a man of the people. We voted for him during the elections. I knew him since I was working with Total. We are sure the governor knows nothing about this matter.

“Out of the 500 hectares of land the community used to ha0;0ve, only 60 is left and now they want to take the remaining and send us to the street.

“Some of the companies already operating here have yet to pay us compensation for the crops and economic trees that had to give way for them to locate their factories here. Some of them have not given even one indigene of this community the smallest job in their companies. This is our homestead, our roots and we are begging the government to leave the remaining 60 hectares for us.”

Meanwhile, officials of the Ogun State Bureau of Lands and Survey declined to comment on the matter.

Also, the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, did not pick calls made to his telephone by our correspondent, neither did he reply the text messages sent to his mobile telephone.

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At a special Ramadan Lecture held at the premises of the Epe Local Government Council, the Governor thanked the people for their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the election period. He promised that the development of the Epe community would be utmost to him.

In his speech, he assured the residents that their gesture of support would not be ignored and that his administration would carry out infrastructural projects to improve their standard of living.

“I just want to say a big thank you to everyone here. I know that a lot of us contested, but the bottom line is that I belong to this community and whatever it is that we do, it is in the interest of this community. We are all going to stand together to make sure that the development of Epe is uppermost in our heart.”

Governor Ambode who hails from Epe, encouraged residents to join hands with his administration, urging Muslims to seize the period of Ramadan to pray for the success of his tenure.

“I am glad Epe is one. It pleases God that what we’ve missed in the city for almost forty years has come to us. It is now left for all of us to come together and join hands with this government.” He said during his speech.

He further stated: “There is nothing I can do for Epe people that can be enough, but I assure you that Epe would be a new city. All I need from you now is prayer because I am ready to pay my dues in Epe and I will try my best to ensure that Epe and indeed Lagos State witness all round development and transformation”.

Earlier, the guest lecturer, Dr. Nosirudeen Onibon, urged those who would form the cabinet of the Governor to imbibe the culture of moral competence in the discharge of their duties.

He stressed that successful governance was largely dependent on division of labour, imploring all hands to be on deck during the current administration.

Onibon expressed optimism that with Governor Ambode at the top of the state’s helm of affairs , Lagos would experience a great deal of development.

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The project, estimated to cost about N2.2m, was in response to the outcry by the community, which had experienced uncontrolled flooding with the associated health and environmental consequences for many years.

The Head of Lagos Province 23, Gbagada, RCCG, Pastor Brown Oyitso, who represented the General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, at the inauguration of the project, said the community had solicited the help of the church in combating the menace of perennial flooding of the area.

“This challenge was promptly taken up as a social responsibility initiative by the RCCG Lagos Province 23, Region 19, and in particular, members of the RCCG, Prince of Peace Parish, Area 25 Headquarters located along Ado-Badore Road, Ajah, Lagos,” he said.

Oyitso commended the community members for identifying the project as a core need and also for their cooperation in ensuring the timely completion of the drainage system, adding that the church would look into other areas of their need, starting with potable water provision.

He said that prior to the intervention, the major issue that had plagued the community was annual flooding of their houses and shops for many months during the overflow of nearby lakes during the rainy season.

The pastor said, “To complicate their predicament, the floods facilitated the carriage and dumping of refuse and waterborne germs into residences and shops of the community members. Residents were also exposed to reptiles and marine organisms. Children and pedestrians were faced with a great deal of inconvenience and dangers when manoeuvring through the deep areas of the flood.

“Flooding of the major road leading into the Langbasa community damaged vehicles, tri-cycles and motorcycles, imparting on cost of repairs. Furthermore, the flood caused damages to buildings, shops and furniture. People had to bear the stench caused by the dirt and mucky water.”

The Baale of Langbasa, Chief Fatai Pelujo, said the flooding was a problem that the community battled for many years and expressed happiness that the RCCG had brought succour to the community.

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