We Won’t Continue To Live Like Slaves In Lagos”, Ilaje Protest Demolition Of Ancestral Homes
Members of the Ilaje community on Tuesday stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa, Ikeja, to protest what they described as the unlawful demolition of their ancestral homes. The demonstrators, operating under the banner of Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide, turned out in large numbers, carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs as they demanded urgent intervention from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
The protesters insisted that the Ilaje are among the original settlers of Lagos and vowed that they would no longer accept living like strangers or slaves in a land they have occupied for centuries.
They accused some traditional rulers and government officials of collaborating with land speculators and hiding under the cover of state agencies to forcefully dispossess them of their homes and lands.
Prince Iwamitigha Irowainu, President-General of Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide, who addressed the gathering, alleged that some monarchs had abandoned their duty of protecting justice and were now acting as land grabbers against the same people they ought to defend.
According to him, communities were being displaced without consultation, while bulldozers were moved in to destroy homes and livelihoods, leaving many families stranded and destitute.
The protest was charged with emotions as elderly women, drenched by rainfall, spoke passionately about the hardship their people were enduring. One of the women, who identified herself as Ifagbemi, declared that the Ilaje women were ready to embark on a naked protest at the palaces of the monarchs involved if urgent steps were not taken to stop the demolitions. She stressed that the Ilaje people were not squatters but original settlers in Lagos who deserve justice and recognition rather than humiliation and displacement.
The demonstrators submitted a petition to the Lagos State House of Assembly, outlining their grievances and calling for a halt to all further demolitions.
They urged lawmakers to investigate the alleged encroachment on their land, ensure that the rights of Ilaje people are respected, and provide compensation and resettlement plans for families already displaced.
They warned that their patience was running out and that the state should expect more resistance if the situation continues.
The demonstration reflects a long-running struggle over waterfront communities in Lagos, where residents have faced repeated demolitions in places like Ilaje-Otumara and Makoko.
Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have previously condemned such evictions as violations of international law, citing the absence of adequate notice, resettlement, or compensation. Many of the demolished settlements sit on prime waterfront land, sparking suspicions among residents that the clearances are designed to pave the way for lucrative real estate developments.
At the close of the protest, community leaders reiterated their determination to defend their heritage and called on the government to act before the matter escalates further.
They warned that the Ilaje would not be erased from Lagos history and vowed to continue pressing for justice until their ancestral rights are secured.
