By Wale Onifade
A growing wave of anxiety and indignation is sweeping through the Alimosho axis of Lagos State, as Abiodun Jimoh Ejigbadero, son of the infamous land grabber Late Jimoh Ishola Ejigbadero, launches his campaign to become Chairman of Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA)—a move residents describe as both dangerous and disgraceful.
Widely known across Alimosho and Agege for his relentless land grabbing activities, Abiodun Jimoh has for years allegedly terrorized property owners and families in areas including Orile-Agege, Mulero, Abekoko, Raji Oba, Akowonjo, Adealu, Araromi, parts of Gowon Estate, Iyana Ipaja, and even Water Area.
In several public declarations, Abiodun has claimed that he is simply “collecting royalties” on land his father allegedly purchased decades ago, declaring:
“I am not a tout. I am into real estate. This land belongs to my father.”
According to documents he frequently references, his father supposedly acquired vast hectares of land in Alimosho via a Deed of Conveyance dated December 18, 1974. The transaction was reportedly between the Akapo/Olubunmi Family and the late Ejigbadero, with a survey allegedly drawn by J.O. Ogunsanya.
However, the mere mention of the Ejigbadero name still sends chills down the spines of many Lagosians.
His father, Jimoh Ishola Ejigbadero, was a notorious figure in Nigeria’s land business in the 1970s, known for violently seizing land from rightful owners using thugs and sheer intimidation. His reign of terror came to a dramatic end when he was convicted of murder and sentenced to death by hanging by the Lagos High Court in a landmark case that shook the nation over four decades ago.
Now, in a move many consider a shocking resurrection of tyranny, his son is being positioned to assume political control of Agbado/Oke-Odo, backed by powerbrokers within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Despite outcries by human rights groups, community elders, and even members of the APC, the party leadership in Lagos appears determined to push through his candidacy.
Sources allege his loyalty and support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the last general election earned him political favour, a compensation that now threatens the peace and stability of Alimosho communities.
Many residents fear that with Abiodun Jimoh in political office, land grabbing will become institutionalized, and existing disputes may escalate into full-blown crises.
“We are not safe. The son of a convicted murderer cannot be allowed to sit in public office. This is not just an insult, it’s a threat to our lives and homes,” a visibly distressed community leader told our reporter under condition of anonymity.
If elected, critics warn that Abiodun will become the de facto “landlord” of Agbado/Oke-Odo, wielding both political power and historical land claims to further oppress and dispossess residents. His track record, marred by allegations of maiming, violent evictions, and illegal land sales, paints a grim picture of what may lie ahead.
Already, his campaign—set to begin this week—is triggering tension in multiple communities, with residents bracing for another era of land terror, this time with official backing.
Stakeholders across civil society, traditional institutions, and the legal community are calling on the Lagos State Government and APC National Leadership to rethink the implications of Abiodun Jimoh’s ambition.
They argue that his candidacy is not only morally reprehensible but politically dangerous.
“You cannot reward criminal legacy with public office,” said a lawyer and activist monitoring land cases in the area. “This is how democracies die—when killers become kings.”
As Lagosians await the outcome of what is fast becoming a litmus test for justice and morality in politics, one thing remains clear: Alimosho is on edge, and the ghost of Ejigbadero still haunts its soil.