The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands, Housing, Survey and Urban Development, Oyo state, Mr. Ademola Ajibola has been fingered as the blocking stone for the traders and Pelly Foam to get renovation approval for their property situated at No 1, Lebanon Street, Dugbe, Ibadan that gutted by fire last year April.
It was gathered that despite the fact that all necessary documents requested by relevant agencies for renovation permit have been submitted a year after, the approval is yet to be granted.
It was further gathered that Governor Makinde was misinformed that there are pending cases in court, which is farther from the truth, urging Governor Makinde to ask for the court injunction that make relevant agencies denying them the renovation approval.
Investigation revealed that it is the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands, Housing, Survey and Urban Development, Oyo state, Mr. Ademola Ajibola that is behind the travail of the traders and Pelly Foam to get the renovation approval.
It could be recalled that one King Zion took Pelly Foam to court in 2003 over the property, years before the fire incident and various cases in court has nothing to do with the fire incident.
A reliable source said when Zion could not get relieve from the Court, he sought the assistance of Late Lamidi Adedibu in 2006 to forcefully eject Pelly Foam and other traders from the building.
Despite the fact that Late Adedibu boys came to attack owner of the Pelly Foam, Dapo Davies and other occupants of the building, they maintained their stand and remained in the said property.
It was gathered that when all these failed, it was alleged that King Zion went ahead to set the property ablaze in April 15, 2020.
The source said after the fire incident, “His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde took time out of his ever busy schedule visited the premises and lamented the extent of damage done to the building which is located at the Central Business District of Ibadan.
“His Excellency in his usual magnanimity gave out palliative to settle the traders affected by the fire incident which our client appreciated and still appreciating”.
But to get the renovation approval, Investigation revealed that Pastor Peter Asha of king Zion went to bribe the permanent secretary Mr Ademola Ajibola with huge amount of money to derail the renovation process.
It was further revealed that he begged the permanent secretary to help him stop the approval to enhance his electronic business along Ekotedo area because electronic was being sold in one of the burnt shops.
It was further gathered that the since the huge amount exchange hands between King Zion and the Permanent Secretary, he (King Zion) has been boasting around that the Permanent Secretary, Ajibola has promised him to frustrate Pelly Foam and other tenants out of the said burnt property.
It was further alleged that after collecting the amount, the Permanent Secretary through the Commissioner for Lands, Housing, Survey and Urban Development started asking for some documents that has nothing to do with renovation permit.
Such documents including, “Building Plan which is most unnecessary, submission of the building plan was based on the advice of the Town Planning Department which is strange to all known Town Planning Laws where a building is gutted by fire but a year after those documents were submitted, the approval is yet to see the light of the day.
“The Commissioner also claimed that there was a court injunction on the said property, we want the Commissioner and the Permanent Secretary to produce the court injunction to general public to see.
“No court in Ibadan or elsewhere in Nigeria has granted injunction to restrain the renovation of the dilapidated walls of the building which can give away any moment from now as the wall fence stand now constitutes danger to lives of the traders and people moving in and around the building.
“We however regret to note that the government department responsible for approval of building plans has refused to approve the renovation permit for almost one year after the fire incident.
“We heard from the grapevine that Governor Makinde was misnformed that there are pending cases in court which is farther from the truth.
The truth is that one King Zion took us to court in 2003, years before the fire incident and various cases in court has nothing to do with the fire incident. We urge His Excellency and general public to kindly demand a copy of the said injunction granted by the court from the Commissioner and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Lands, Housing, Survey and Urban Development.
