Illegal Occupation Of Gulf Palace Resort: Separating Facts From Fiction
By Otunba Gbenga Daniel
BACKGROUND:
The Golf Place Resort Abeokuta was an initiative of the Late Apagun Wole Olumide of blessed memory. It is common knowledge that Apagun Olumide lived the better part of his later life trying to develop Golfing activities as a part of the Sports tourism which was part of our administration strategy in developing our state from a civil service state, prior to 2003 economically, to a major industrial and economic hub which the state is now today.
Apagun Olumide, a very close ally of the late Alake Lipede and also a friend of my predecessor,approached me at the inception of our administration to apprise me with various ideas on how we can use Sports tourism via Golfing as one of the instruments that can drive eminent personalities into the State capital and from there be enticed to further develop the state in every way possible. Of course we bought into the idea and he became a friend of the administration. Suffice it to say that in the process, he designed the Olumo Rock Modernisation project, the Abeokuta Central Business District which is supposed to be the Regional Commercial centre in the South West, (the reason why we also relocated the remains of the Old Secretariat to Oke Mosan). Apagun Olumide, a great Architect also designed the new OPIC Plaza and helped us navigate the dualization of the Lalubu Road without any demolition amongst others.
THE LAND STORY:
At the inception of my administration, the Gateway Front Foundation, a non profit Organization that we were using for empowerment had some projects in mind, one of which is an Old People’s Home (not for profit but self sustaining project). Gateway front Foundation then applied to the Ministry of Land and was duly allocated and paid for this land on which the hotel now stand. Accordingly a Certificate of Occupancy dated 16th Feb 2004 was issued to Gateway Front Foundation after the payment of all land charges.
However, two other organisations (Aron Nig Ltd, and Lions Club), later came forward claiming that they had been previously allocated the same land and provided the certificates of occupancy. This means that for the same parcel of land, 3 different certificates of occupancy were issued to 3 different organisations by the same Ogun State Government under 3 different administrations !!!. The Lands bureau was then advised to resolve the mix up.
I was later to discover that under the analogue system that was in place, double allocations, sometimes triple allocation was so frequent and more like the rule rather than exception and it was clear that that system cannot support the vision of the new Ogun State we were creating and the surge in the demand for land for development. The reason why we started to reorganise the department.
Both Aron Nig Ltd and Lions Club were provided alternative allocations and the matter was settled to the satisfaction of all parties.
Sometimes in 2005, Apagun Olumide approached me with what he called a good news; As part of his drive to develop Golf in Abeokuta, he had secured the pledge of some investors to come and build a first class Golf Resort Hotel in Abeokuta. I was excited and congratulated him, but there was a snag. The land which he considered to be the best location have been allocated to Gateway Front Foundation to build an Old People’s Home. I asked him if that was the only problem and he said yes. Instantly I asked the Bureau to withdraw the allocation from Gateway Front Foundation especially since the Foundation have not started any physical development on site.
This was how the land was reallocated to Golf Place Resort Hotel. They fully paid the charges and a new Certificate of Occupancy was issued to Golf Place Resort Hotel dated 13th Sept 2006.
The Foundation was then allocated another piece of land at the Sagamu Interchange for their project. That land have been reassigned to another Organization by the present administration and neither was the Foundation given an alternative allocation nor refund the monies paid till date; Reason ???.
Meanwhile, the hotel was designed, government approval granted and construction commenced to the glory of God.
MY INVOLVEMENT;
Sometime in 2007, Apagun Olumide approached me again, indicating that many of the would be investors were not coming because of the economic meltdown which had started showing negative indices, and I needed to invest personally to encourage others since I was the one preaching for everyone to come back home and invest. I finally agreed and directed one of my companies Kresta Laurel Ltd to invest. They were to amongst other things take charge of all the Mechanical and Electrical Installations, Elevators, Generators, Fire equipment etc. This is how Kresta Laurel became the biggest Investor in the project, but still it was not enough we were still looking for more investors. We finally found one who agreed to invest massively and complete the project. Based on this arrangement, the Hotel was scheduled to be commissioned sometimes in 2012. This was the situation when I handed over power in May 2011.
By the way, the hotel is a 9 floor facility comprising of
B. The Basement housing the Underground Lounge, Underground Bar, Services, Cold Rooms, Offices et al ALL NOW COMPLETED
G. Ground floor reception, Equipment Room, Ball room, 1000 capacity Banquet Hall, Emerald Restaurant, Swimming Poor, Bar, Hotel shops, Gym, Sauna, Spa, Grill etc ALL NOW COMPLETED.
First floor, comprising of 800 capacity Skyview Pavilion, Skyview Bar, Silver and Quartz Meeting Rooms, Ivory and Amber meeting Rooms.2nd floor: 1000 capacity Roof Top Terrace. Roof Top Bar, Ammenities with access via a dedicated elevator.3rd floor Luxurious Rooms4th floor Luxurious Rooms5th floor Luxurious Rooms6th floor. Presidential and Super Suites7th floor; Penthouse Restaurant. Completed.
THE CRISIS
The crisis commenced when Apagun Wole Olumide gave in to pressure from the disaster from the demolition of one of his ongoing projects within the Golf arena and other harassments, and not being able to withstand the pressure, he unfortunately died mysteriously.
This was followed later by a sudden arbitrary occupation of the hotel site by Agents of the State Government in March 2012, chasing away the Investor and all the workers, all the Security personnel, about 300 people in all, detaining some without any order from any court or any notice whatsoever.
With the unfortunate demise of Apagun and the chasing away of one of the core Investors created the greatest tragedy for the development as everyone started running for dear life and no one wants to dare a hostile sitting government especially since most people did not even understand the background.
I therefore had no choice but to take on the gauntlet on behalf of Kresta Laurel Ltd who have become the biggest investor in the project. The experience of workers who have been beaten, arrested and detained on numerous occasions also made the site unattractive for many due to loss of confidence and for which reason I became virtually the Site Manager working and supervising all the Engineers. Luckily being my profession and construction being my first love, I was quite happy to do the work.
Since the Govt occupation in 2012, we did not visit the site until sometimes in April 2015, when we notice from outside that the site may have been abandoned, curtain walling was breaking, panoramic elevator already installed was damaged etc etc.. Our worry was confirmed when we reported to the nearest Police station to escort our people on inspection. What we found was a disaster, a completely empty, vandalised, looted and completely destroyed facility. All the 300 doors destroyed to make way for the carting away of televisions sets, airconditioners, cables, PABX, in fact what was left was a carcass inhabited by snakes and reptiles and thousands of bats. Fences brought down at the back. Pictures and videos available. It was a pathetic sight.
It must be said that some of the thieves were caught by the Police tried and convicted in court.
COURT PROCESS
There are 3 cases in court over this matter:
Count no 5, of the EFCC case against me of fraudulently converting with intent to defraud, the above stated land by allocating it to Golf Place Resort Hotel. 5 years later, the Prosecution is yet to close their case.Golf Resort took Govt to court (suit no AB/23/2012 at the State High Court, Abeokuta Judicial Division challenging the take over the property. The court granted our prayers and ordered that the custody of the Property be given to us pending the hearing and determination of the suit. Based on this, we took over the property and commenced reconstruction of the security fence and other related works to protect what was left of the facility.Another case against the Govt claiming for the damages and loss as a result of the massive looting of the Place while they occupied the Property. This is still ongoing.
Please note that the only case by Ogun State Govt against me in this case is the EFCC case on fraudulent land conversion. There is no place where Ogun State or any public fund was traced to this development contrary to popular misinformation.
Our Poser here is that if we for purposes of argument agree without conceding, that there are issues with the land allocation, is the land whose value at the point of acquisition is less than N10m (and for which there is no counter claim by anyone, the reason why a Multibillion Naira private development that was virtually nearing completion in 2012, is being frustrated in an environment where there is hardly any serious indigenous private development going on?.
Clearly, there is more to all these than meets the eye.
Since the site resumed nearly 2 years ago before people were chased on Saturday 26th August, 2017, over 300 indigenes have been working there everyday. Another 400 indigenes are being interviewed and are supposed to resume as Hotel workers from Jan 2018.
All the innocent subcontractors who have been paid to complete their works have been chased out once again without even allowing them to remove their tools and equipment. About 100 brand new Air conditioners delivered to site last week and yet to be installed aside from the over 200 already installed are once again materials ready to be carted away by hoodlums, while expensive leader furniture will soon become food for termites as previously happened !!!.
HISTORY OF THE GOLF HOTEL INVASION BY AMOSUN ADMINISTRATION;
The latest invasion and occupation by the Amosun administration on Saturday, 26th August 2017 is the 4th in a row with major financial losses.
The first was in March 2012 and the place was occupied and later abandoned for upwards of 3 years, without any court order or any notice whatsoever. The second was in 2015 when we saw our property lay in ruins and tried to salvage it.
The third was after a valid court Order vesting custody in us. After that third invasion, we gave up.
However, sometimes last year 2016, one of the revered paramount Rulers in a Ogun State called me and said he just received a call from the Governor directing that he has had a change of mind and that we can now return to site without any further encumbrances. We heaved a sigh of relief, thanked the Kabiyesi and then wrote a letter thanking the Governor. It was with that assurances that we now returned to site sourced for funds and virtually completed the construction of the hotel. The only outstanding being ongoing external pavements, furniture arrangements (All furniture procured and on site) and picture decor and final paintings. All signboards are in place.
A few years earlier, we received notice that the proposed 10 lane road will consume part of the hotel frontage, we then moved the fence back and reconstructed as per the marking. When the team came and took measurements, they agreed that the 10 lane road will not affect the new fence. We heaved a sigh of relief. Later we received another notice that the proposed Rail may also chop part of the new fence and the completed power house. We agreed with the officials that whenever they are ready they will notify us of how they want to move. There is cooperation and mutual understanding technically.
We are still curious and at a loss on the reason for the current invasion and occupation by the Amosun administration. However in this instance, to be sure, I called the Governor and he did not pick his call, I then sent him texts and he still did not reply. I then concluded that this will be a long haul.
Ordinarily, corporate matters like this are better managed as quietly as possible, but regrettably the affairs of this company have become very public because of my involvement as the former Governor of the State coupled with various insinuations and Chinese whispers of falsehood and embellished half truths.
Some people have suggested that this might not been unconnected with my recent political moves to reconcile members of the Party while some others have suggested that I might have made some comments that might have infuriated Governor Amosun. Whatever it is, I believe that the high point of democracy, is that we cannot resort to self help especially from the high and exalted position of the State Governor and of Ogun State for that matter and flagrantly disobey court orders. That definitely cannot be the Ogun State of our dream.
My EFCC Prosecution over things like this have been on for 6 years with some 4 amendments to the charges. I have appeared in court over 40 times and yet Prosecution is yet to close their case. I am in no doubt that it is Ogun State Govt under Gov Amosun that is the Accuser and the Prosecutor having given a fiat to the EFCC. Without Ogun State government given fiat, the EFCC will not be able to prosecute those ‘offences’ which in any case are State offences.
I have written this for the sake of posterity and the numerous friends and concern citizens all over the world, who have expressed deep concern about the illegal occupation of a private property. The above is the truth and facts of the case to the best of my knowledge.
With best regards,
Otunba Engr. Gbenga Daniel, FNSE., FNAEng.,
Ogun State Governor, 2003-2011
