Christ Embassy and the Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG) have had a lingering brawl over the ownership of a piece of land in Oloke-Asese-Maba and Gideon villages in Ogun state and the case seems to be degenerating into irreligious situation.
It was reported that one of the churches now employs hoodlums to fight its cause.
RCCG also reported that hoodlums, armed with various dangerous weapons invaded the villages and destroyed the headquarters of uncompleted buildings of Ogun Province 8 of RCCG on March 19, 2003.
The hoodlums were said to have warned everyone including the guards to stay away from the land as it belonged to the Christ Embassy which they claimed to be working for.
“The thugs threatened to kill me or anybody who stood in their way and boasted that nothing would happen because, according to them, they and the police have been ‘heavily settled’ to look the other way”, the unnamed guard was quoted to have said.
It was gathered that the RCCG petitioned the inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, urging him to use his good office to avert an impending crisis at the villages after land grabbers demolished a structure put up by the church.
According to the petition, the church sought speedy resolution of the matter, calling on the IG to intervene on the matter and stop the delay tactics being employed by the “other parties to frustrate the rightful owners of the land.”
It was also gathered that the church was given allocation of the land for 99 years by the Ogun State Government in a letter with reference number LUD 9/LCI33/6, signed by the Director General Bureau of Lands and Survey, Office of the state government, Surveyor Gbenga Ogunnoike coupled with an issued Certificate of Occupancy with the Number 025748, dated November 7, 2006 signed by the Ogun State government.
The petition also contained that in spite of the fact that the land falls under government acquisition area, it went ahead to pay ratification fee for the land in June 1999 to Alhaji Tajudeen Ogo Oluwa (Lukman’s father, now late), who gave the church a Deed of Surrender, signed by him (Alhaji Tajudeen Ogo Oluwa) and witnessed by one Waidi Ogunsesan (aka Damolapa).
However, in 2004, the RCCG wrote a letter, signed by the A.G.O Admin/Personnel of the RCCG, Pastor A. O. Akindele, to the Presiding Pastor of the Christ Embassy Church, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, after Christ Embassy held a programme on the disputed land.
The letter read: “It has come to our notice that your organisation is inadvertently trespassing on the piece of land measuring about forty acres (40 acres) along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, precisely at Oloke Area.
“We wish to inform you that this parcel of land belong to the Redeemed Christian Church of God, and we have seized (sic) of the land for more than four years.
“We shall appreciate your prompt intervention and godly directive to one Alhaji Ogo Oluwa, who has held himself out as your agent, to desist forthwith in continuing with the trespass”.
However, the state government has said that since RCCG has the dully signed Certificate of Occupancy of the land, is the rightful owner and has also warned the Christ Embassy from further trespassing on the land.
This was the outcome of the meeting the two parties held with then Director General, Bureau of Lands and Survey, Gbenga Ogunnoike at the Bureau’s office at Oke Ilewo, Abeokuta in Ogun state.