The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists NAWOJ, Ondo State Chapter, has condemned in strong terms, the injustice being metted on a widow of a late military personnel as some powerful individuals are conniving to take over her land.
The victim, Mrs Omolara Arosoye, the widow of the late lieutenant Alaba Muyiwa Arosoye, while narrating her ordeal, said she bought two plots of land from the benefit money given to her after the death of her husband in 2014 as a source of investment to cater for her family.
But she was shocked when she was alerted that the same piece of land was sold to another person two months ago.
She said, “I bought the land in 2016 from Ologunmolare and Arijodi families through Pastor Emmanuel A. oni, the secretary of the family while Chief Cecilía Ologede is the head of the family.
“To my suprise, the new buyer contacted me and declared that he was not ready to release the land except the land is shared for both of us which is not acceptable to her.
“I contacted the Military authorities for support and an officer, Captain Ayika was detailed to investigate the matter and during the investigation, it led us to the state commissioner of police and later the buyer, Mr Adesina Funso Kolawole, dragged me to the Deji’s place who will give the final judgement on Monday.
“A legal officer of the 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Barrack, Captain Ayika, who was in charge of the case before he was redeployed to Abuja,explained that the Police commissioner had resolved the case . He said that the widow should be given back her land but the second buyer kolawole took the matter to the Deji- in council”.
Speaking on the development, the state Chairperson of NAWOJ, Mrs. Doris Olumoko described the situation as a clear case of injustice for the widow and demanded that Mr Kolawole seeks refund of his money from the Family and hands off the land.
She said Ondo state women will stand with Arosoye to ensure that her land is retrieved and given back to her.
” The families who sold the land are dubious and should return the money of the second buyer.
This is one of the many injustices against widows in Nigeria and should be put to a stop ,” she said.
She said Deji is a respecter of women and she believes he will help Arosoye retrieve her land.
A spoke person of flight lieutenant Ohai Idonigie Foundation, Mrs Tola Gbadamosi said the situation is a pathetic one that a widow of an officer who died in the line of duty is not being appreciated by fellow citizens.
She appreciated the Military for moving in to extend their fight for the widow because taking the property of a fellow Nigerian who died in the line of duty is very wrong.
” We stand with others and appeal to the Nigeria Police to do the needful to get the family who criminally sold the plot of land to two people to be arrest and all civil society organisations together with the non governmental Organisations to join us in this fight,” she said.
