Can we meet you Ma?
I am Mrs Foluke Onabanjo (55), the wife of Mr Victor Onabanjo who died in 2014 immediately he completed the survey of 250 acres of land on which the multi-billion dollar Dangote Fertilizer Plant is built at Okunraye, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State.
Why have you come to the Secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalist, Ogun State?
I have come here to seek the support of the media. I need to reach out to Alhaji Aliko Dangote on the decision of his company’s management to swindle my late husband, Mr Victor Onabanjo (1954-2014). The company has chosen to ignore the plight of the deceased’s children and I his wife. As a result, we are now homeless and downtrodden. Since November 2022, we have been staying on and off at the headquarters of Mountain of Fire Ministry (MFM) located at Lagos/Ibadan Express way; we would stay seven days, leave and return, as the Church wouldn’t allow anyone to stay more than a week at a stretch. Let me use this medium to express my heartfelt appreciation to the founder of MFM, Pastor Olukoya for the soccour. May God continue to grant him more of His Holy Spirit for the continuation of the Ministry and deliverance of the weak ones.
Madam, you have alleged that the management of Dangote has decided to swindle your late husband, how?
It’s because Dangote has refused to pay for my husband’s 41 acres of land, at Okunraye, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, which have been used as part of the 250 acres of land upon which the Dangote Fertilizer Plant is built as I earlier stated.
Can you explain how your husband, late Mr Victor Onabanjo, became the rightful owner of the alleged 41 acres of land?
In the year 2010, the Eriki and Caleb families of Okunraye, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, contacted my husband, Mr Victor Onabanjo, to survey a 250 acres of land for them with an agreement that he would be the financier and be reimbursed with a plot of land per acre. Infact, during some of the negotiation meetings, my husband mandated me to sit by his side as a witness. The deed of agreement sealed, and my husband thereafter contacted business partners, friends and family members to get the fund needed in addition to all money in our account. He invested a huge amount of money into the Survey, Documentation and Logistics. On many occasions, leaders of the two families would collect money from my husband. Unfortunately for us, weeks after the completion of the Survey and documentation, my husband died. Meanwhile, at the time of his sudden death, he hasn’t shown me the exact location of his 41 acres. Not quite long, while I was still mourning his irreparable loss, the pressure became intense when those partners from whom my husband borrowed the capital invested into the Survey came calling inconsiderately. I had to wipe my tears and visited the Eriki and Caleb families of Okunraye, Ibeju- Lekki, Lagos, to ask them to show me the 41 acres so that I can sell it and pay off the loans, and take care of our children.
I was bewildered at the initial when members of the two families denied having any business transactions with my husband forgotten that I was part of some of the seatings where photographs were taken, but as God would have it, after many visits and pleas, one principal actor and member of Eriki family, Mr Yemisi, identified himself and implored other members of the families to say the truth and stopped being ingrate to the deceased who made such a dangerous risk in doing the Survey for the two families which actually facilitated Dangote’s interest in the land.
That day, the late Community head chaired the meeting. At the end, they promised to pay me for the 41acres that belongs to my late husband whenever Dangote compensate them. That was when they indirectly told me that Dangote has bought the land through the State Government. So, following many unyielding efforts and struggling, I realised that the families are been deceptive, so, I told my lawyer to write Dangote itself so that I can fight for my husband’s sweat and rights directly, at least to send his children to school and house them in a deserved accommodation.
“I saw hell in the hands of the lawyers; I was brutally exploited. I sold all properties of my husband in a bid to get justice. This year 2023 makes it eight (8) years since the first of the several letters of appeal were written. Dangote has been ignoring brazenly my pleas. The management has refused to be considerate to the impoverished children of the deceased. Till this moment, Dangote has not deemed it fit to show any iota of humanity to the children, family and wife of the deceased upon whose landed property sits Dangote multi-billion dollar fertilizer plant!”
I had contacted some journalists in October 2022 for a press briefing to assist me in reaching out to Alhaji Aliko Dangote himself being the owner of the Fertilizer Plant which is built on the controversial piece of land from where the Company has been making profit. But one of them, Simon FAKEYE, told me to tarry awhile, saying that publishing such information may affect adversely the good repute of the owner who is known worldwide as a responsible father and a true Patriot. Since then, the journalist has been giving me hope perhaps not considering the fact that my condition is getting worse and unbearable day by day. For example, some minutes ago, you might observe that my daughter was talking to me. She pointed at her mates around, and asked if she would ever return to school. In my conclusion, the company’s management has shown to me that Dangote Industry Ltd cares less about humanity. Its business mission is such that is unreasonable and cruel. Recently, committing suicide has been recurring, at least to join my husband wherever he’s gone to but the motherhood in me keep telling me to take into account the future of my children. So, today, I told the journalists that if he can’t help me I would go to the Secretariat, reason I am here today. I have heard a lot about what the people of Ibese in Ogun State are saying about Alhaji Aliko Dangote. My determination is to make sure I reach out to him believing strongly that if he find out the truth, he would do justice.
Madam, if after the publication of this briefing, Alhaji Aliko Dangote himself chose to toll the path of the management of the company, what is your next plan of action?
I am aware they are going to commission the Refinery on Monday, 22nd of May, the deceased’s children, human rights activists and family members have agreed to join me in staging a protest on that day with placard but I am so sure that if Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the owner of Dangote Fertilizer Plant, can get to read about my plight, he would put an end to the injustice before that day.
