The mansion
The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), has refuted reports that the sealed twin blocks of flats located on Gbenga Ashafa Street, off Hammed Kasumu Street, opposite Greenwood House School, Ikoyi, belongs to the immediate past deputy governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
The partially completed building named Adejoke’s Court was one of the mansions sealed by the state government for not conforming with the state’s building laws but was wrongly linked by the media to the former deputy governor because of the similarity of names.
But LASBCA in a letter to Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN), counsel of Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, a copy of which was made available to The Guardian showed that the names of the contravenors in the sealed building were not mentioned because such could not be determined at that point in time.
As stated by the letter signed by one S. O Kasali on behalf of the general manager, the Agency affirmed that the property was sealed off as a result of the failure of owner/ developer to present general contractor all risk insurance policy, which contravenes Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2010 section 48 sub section 1-3.
The agency however, said although it granted interview to the press during the operation no names of the contravenors were mentioned because such could not be determined at the time.
Also in the advertorial, the former deputy governor refuted the media publications to the effect that the block of flats belongs to her.
As stated by her, the said publications, which also feature photographs of the building that contravened sections of the Lagos State Building Control law was misleading and inaccurate as she was not the owner of the property on the said location and neither had she has any link whatsoever with the property.
Continuing, Mrs. Orelope-Adefulire regretted that the building could be foisted on her simply because its owner named it
‘Adejoke Court’ as if she was the only Adejoke in the world.
She reiterated that she would not be involved on contravening sections of a law that she was an integral part of its formulation and enactment under the same administration where she served as a commissioner and a deputy governor.
It will be recalled that the media had reported the sealing off the building by the enforcement team of LASBCA led by its General Manager.
The exercise, carried out by the officials of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), also affected 12 other houses, seven of them mansions in highbrow areas of the state, which include Baa Island, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and environs.
Guardian