Human rights activist Femi Falana and the family of late labour leader Michael Imoudu have rejected an offer of N23 million as compensation for a parcel of land allegedly taken over by the Lagos State government.
The land, located around Ojuelegba in Surulere, is estimated by the family and their lawyers to be worth not less than N250 million.
They alleged that the state government acquired the property in the public interest for the construction of a bus terminal.
Mr Falana, alongside labour and human rights lawyer Femi Aborisade and members of the Imoudu family, raised the issue on Saturday at the 20th posthumous anniversary of Dr Imoudu held in Lagos.
The event was attended by representatives of the Federal Government, labour leaders, veterans and activists.
Explaining their decision, Falana said the compensation offer did not meet constitutional requirements.
“We rejected the offer because it is not in line with Section 44 sub-section 1 of the Constitution, which provides that when a compassionate acquisition of anybody’s property, you must pay just and fair compensation. On that basis, we have gone to court,” he said.
Falana also appealed to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented at the event by the Commissioner for Establishment and Training, Afolabi Ayantayo, to intervene in the matter.
According to him, the land could be jointly used by the government and the family to establish a labour museum in honour of the late unionist.
“We have taken this occasion for the Lagos state government, since they are represented in this hall, to intervene in this matter. For the government, together with the family, to put up a befitting structure in the name of Michael Imoudu to turn it into a labour museum. It is the greatest gift we can offer after him,” Falana said.
Also speaking at the event, Dr Veronica Imoudu appealed to Governor Sanwo-Olu to allocate an alternative parcel of land to the family.
She said the family had planned to build a labour museum on the Ojuelegba property.
“The state government is offering us N23 million compensation for a land valued at almost N300 million,” she said.
She added that the family had formally written to the governor on the issue.
“We had written an appeal to Governor Sanwo-Olu, which was received and stamped in his office on Nov 15, 2024. In it, the Imoudu family had appealed to him for the allocation of an alternative land where we can build the Michael Imoudu Labour Museum,” she said.
