Some land owners of Ijagba community and their neighbors in Sagamu, Ogun state have taken Lafarge cement WAPCO Nigeria to court over an expanse area of land which was compulsorily acquired by the military government of the state late in the 1990s.
Reports have it that over 1,000 hectares of land was acquired for public purposes abosolutely and especially for the establishment of cement factory. After the acquisition, the land owners reportedly challenged the surveyors who were working on the land which they told then (Land owners) that they (Surveyors) were staff of the state government who were paving way for a state owned cement factory in which the children of the community would have unrestricted access to employment. The land owners were happy and gladly agreed with the acquisition.
But at a meeting held at the Onijagba’s palace on Wednesday,11th July, 2007 over the crop enumeration exercise, representatives of both of the state government and Lafarge disclosed that the land was going to be transferred to Lafarge to exploit. This angered the land owners who spoke in one voice that Lafarge should pay the market value of the land. Since there had been open confrontation between the land owners on the land, Lafarge and Ogun state government, on the other hand, this led to the land owners’ letter of 19th May, 2008 demanding full compensation from Lafarge. In order to get a full picture of the story, this column made enquiries from Lafargeholcim in Europe, the parent company of Lafarge cement WAPCO Nig. PLC in an email on Nov. 4, 2015 and demanded answers to a 14-list set of questions. The questions bordered on why Lafarge should allow themselves to be dragged to court over a land they would immensely exploit for profit.
Since Lafargeholcim have not bothered to respond to our enquiry, we take it probably a corporate policy of the company not to countenance agitations that may benefit them. The land owners claim to have been so treated by Lafarge in Nigeria.
This column has therefore decided to go ahead with the story as far as our investigation can support.
Since the land owners letter on 19th May, 2008 referred to the land owners have reportedly made a series of overtures to Lafarge with a view to arriving at an amicable settlement. The company’s attitude had been negative.
In March 2014, the land owners reportedly instituted a legal action against Lafarge claiming full compensation for the land that had been transferred to them. The ogun state government was joined in the action.
After the completion of the crops enumeration excises the state government wrote to Lafarge to send their cheque for some #32,000,000 as compensation for the crops and structures. The sum was distributed by the state government to the land owners in accordance with the crops enumeration list. This list was prepared well ahead of the meeting at Onijagba’s palace in July 2007.
Lafarge is reportedly claiming that the 32m for crops was for the land. This shows that one hectare of land would cost about #32,000 i.e a plot of land of 60ft x 120ft will cost #2,134 or less than ten euro!!! Can’t someone in Lafarge be serious?
On its own part, the state government is contesting that the action by the land owners was statute barred but the court has ruled that it was not statute barred as the transfer of the land to Lafarge took place in 2008/2009. All other grounds of objection by the state government were also ruled in favor of the land owners.
It is understood that subsequent to the court ruling in the proceeding paragraph, the land owners had again extended their hand of fellowship to Lafarge for dialogue which the company hasn’t reciprocated.
The question bothering this column is why Lafarge should think they should seize the land which has been the source of livelihood for over three and a half centuries from the land owners and pay nothing for it. They want to exploit this land for profit and send 60% of such profit to shareholders outside the shores of the country. The remaining 40% will be distributed to less than 50% of the Nigerian population and probably none of the land owners benefiting from such distribution. The land owners have reportedly decided to resist the injustice.
we sent them messages for confirmation but no response.
“My name is Ifetayo Adeniyi, a Publisher and Celebrity journalist based in Lagos, Nigeria. I came across a story few weeks back and I decided to investigate it for me to have a balanced story. The story is all about THE BAD AND UGLY SIDE OF LAFARGEHOLCIM DEALING TOWARDS LAND OWNERS (IJAGBA COMMUNITY) IN SAGAMU, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA. I have some questions begging for answers so that it would not be a one side story by the time I break the news to the international community. I have some documents that are in my possession during the course of my investigation. I also discovered that few elite and royal father too have been compromised with members of your top management here in Sagamu and Nigeria to the detriment of the Land owners from Ijagba community, in Sagamu, Ogun State. This act cast shadow on your integrity as multi National company.The few elite can not champion the course of Ijagba community land owners because of their selfish interest. I’ll appreciate your sincere response. 1. How much do they pay Land owners from Ijagba community for the 1001 hectares of land that they are operating on now? Not crops and structure compensation. 2. Are they aware that the said land was meant for Public Use when government discussed with the landowners before they gave it to Lafarge wapco cement now Lafargeholcim? then converts it for commercial use which is contrary to the law without paying the landowners from Ijagba community. 3. Do they connived with the government officials to deceived the land owner Ijagba community that they would be paid for their land and other remuneration as dimmed fits. 4. In 2007, when wapco Lafarge cement then paid about #32,000,000 for the crops and structure to Ijagba community landowners…did the document stated 1001 hectares of land was for free ? 5.Are they aware that the land owners Ijagba community source of income were their farmlands (1001 hectares) that was taken without paying for the it? 6. Do they connived with few elite in the community who has nothing to do with landowners (Ijagba community) to suppress their voices? 7. Is there any of their CSR projects located within Ijagba community for direct benefits of the land owners or was it a compensation or hijacked by few elite and royal father to their immediate community in Sagamu?. 8. Are they aware that majority of the landowners (Ijagba community) are leaving in abject poverty? 9. Is Lafargeholcim ready to pay for the land to the Land owners (Ijagba community) or not? When they make billions of naira every year on the said land. 10. Is Lafargeholcim aware that the land owners (Ijagba community) are going through emotional tortures that has lead to the death of some of them? 11. Is that the way Lafargeholcim operates in other countries? I mean taking over landed property of about 1001 hectares without paying for the land? 12. Is the payment for the crops and structures because of air pollution caused by your able company that destroyed their means of livelihood is the same thing as paying for the land? 13. During my investigation I understand that the landowners would have preferred out of court settlement after they won the case at the high court but few top management of Lafargeholcim and the few influential people in sagamu always block the Avenue for the two parties to meet because of their selfish interest. Is that the way you have been doing it in other countries? 14. Lafargeholcim going to court over the used of the said land by them without paying for it, in whose interest? Is it to delay justice until the landowners die or to deny the landowners of their heritage and right because they can’t afford Senior Advocate of Nigeria? Thanks and God bless you as I wait on your reply within 5days before I would go to the Press. Thanks +234-705-311-1111. ifetayoadeniyi@gmail.com”