Nigerian hip-hop artiste in land grabbing saga

BY BENJAMIN OMOIKE

…As Nigerian US-based widow fights legally to regain her property, allegedly fraudulently stolen by artiste

Recently, social media was agog with the news that Naira Marley acquired a multi-million Naira property in the upscale Lekki Area of Lagos State.

This was as the musician himself took to his social media pages to boast about his acquisition, flaunting the landed property to the amusement and amazement of his innocent followers, fans and members of his Marlian Gang, who are in the dark about the dirty deals and tricks of their so-called mentor.

If this case of land grabbing by Naira Marley is thoroughly scanned through by our esteemed readers, then there must be urgent call to all security agencies and stakeholders to wade in by painstakingly investigating the matter and bring the illegal land grabber in Naira Marley to book, observers say.

Realistically, emerging facts and news are beginning to reveal the alleged fraudulent sides of the artiste’s property acquisition story.

According to real owner of the property, Nigerian US based widow of Chief Raphael Akin Ogunbufunmi, the property Azeez Fashola, AKA Naira Marley, is forcefully laying claims to, was rightfully purchased by her since 1991 and properly covered with a Deed of Assignment and valid government land documents duly registered.

However, to the surprise of this woman, she was informed that some people were claiming to have acquired the land without the notice of both her and her family.

On further investigation, Mrs. Ogunbufunmi discovered that the land was fraudulently bought by Naira Marley from Omo Onile (Alhaji Yekini Bakare), without proper documentation in 2021. Thugs were even hired to scare her new renters away, break down all structures and fences, and steal the materials on the site like sand, gravel and blocks for his own construction.

To forestall any argument, she hired the services of a reputable law firm who moved in and petitioned the Lagos State Land Grabbing Task Force who promptly waded in. However, believing in his star status, which proudly got into his head, Naira Marley ignored the caveats the agency posted on the land to stall development and resolve the matter. He continued erecting structures on the land, speedily completing it in less than a year.

Due to the situation, this family has taken a Caveat Emptor in national daily newspapers informing the general public and prospective buyers that this land is not a property of Naira Marley or any surrogate sellers. This is against the background of the fact that Naira Marley has recently put up the property up for sale.

Part of the Caveat Emptor sighted by this medium reads: This is to notify the general public, including and particularly Mr. Azeez Fashola popularly known as Naira Marley and anyone by whatever name called purportedly claiming ownership and anyone purporting to buy through the said Naira Marley or any person that all property situate and known as Corner Piece Plots, Sesan AwonoikI Street, Bakare Estate, Ajiran, Lekki, Eti- Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State measuring approximately 2,300.79 sqm and covered by Deed Of Assignment Solely belongs to Mrs. Ogunbufunmi.

It has come to my notice that Mr. Azeez Fashola known as Naira Marley is fraudulently and unlawfully asserting ownership and possession rights over my property. The popular singer Naira Marley in furtherance of his illegal and unauthorized conduct has purpotedly and illegally erected some structures on my land which he has advertised for sale to innocent and unsuspecting members of the public.

Let it be known that I, as the legal owner of the subject property has not sold or transfered any proprietary interest of the said property to Mr. Azeez Fashola (Naira Marley) or any one or corporate entity by whatever name called.

On this premise, I hereby urge the general public to disregard the advertisement for the sale of the property and not to take any payment or engage with Naira Marley, his agents, proxies or any individual or corporate entity by whatever name called who purports to sell plots of land or any landed property at the above address.

Take notice: that there is an ongoing case before the Lagos State Land Grabbing Special Task Force on land grabbers to ensure the said Naira Marley and every other individual or corporate entity who are illegally and unlawfully interfering with my ownership rights over the above address are promptly brought to justice.

The Caveat Emptor was concluded with express and clear warning that the owners of this land will not be liable for any refunds of monies collected for the purported sale of the property by Naira Marley or any of his agents or proxy.

It is yet to be seen if Naira Marley who made a name for himself in the Nigerian music industry with controversial promotion of internet fraud through his hit track ‘ Yahoo Le everybody’ will never get away with this one as the family is fighting legally to regain the forcefully and fraudulently stolen property.

Music stars or perhaps entertainment celebrities are supposedly viewed as role models and inspirational figures all across the globe. But sadly, in this part of the world, these so-called showbiz stars have turned themselves to demi-gods and self-acclaimed superiors over others, thereby ridiculing themselves to a wide perspective.

READ ALSO: 35yr-old woman bags 21yrs imprisonment for luring four

In other words, while some controversial figures amongst these ‘stars’ have done everything practically possible to pull off from their showbiz characters and comport themselves respectfully in the public, some others have vehemently refused to let go of their perceived dirty lifestyles they display just as entertainment gimmicks.

However, one of Nigeria’s most popular hip-hop crooners and a multiple award winning but highly controversial artiste, Naira Marley has so far proven to be comfortable with being embellished in more controversies.

In the art world, he represents a generation of hemp smokers, an image he is not expected to display in public glare outside the entertainment sector but sadly, the Marlian Gang anchor whose real name is Azeez Fashola has recently displayed a high level of ‘cannabis-affected’ personae as reported by the media.