Mrs Lanre Fajuyi, wife of Donald Fajuyi, the eldest son of late Lt-Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, former military governor of the Western Region, tells ABIODUN NEJO about the circumstances that led to the demolition of her house last Sunday while she was in church, leaving her homeless
How old are you and what is your occupation?
I am a politician, a caterer, and I run an orphanage in Okeila, Ado Ekiti, with about 33 children, to the glory of God. I am 69 years old. I am the wife of Donald Fajuyi, who is a barrister and the first son of the late Lt-Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, the former military governor of the old Western Region. I got married to him in July 1981. To the glory of God, our marriage is blessed with four children, all of whom are graduates.
Where have you always lived?
Immediately after we got married, we travelled to London. By the eighth month, we returned to Nigeria. At first, we settled in Lagos, but things were very tough there. So, we decided to move to Ado-Ekiti. When we arrived in Ado-Ekiti, we rented an apartment along Textile Road. The landlord at the time was the late Papa Igbekoyi from Ondo State. Since then, we’ve settled here in Ado-Ekiti, and we had all our children here.
People say that the former military governor’s house was incomplete when he died. How true is that?
After we got married, as I mentioned earlier, we came to Ado-Ekiti, and everyone was aware of the house that the late Lt-Col. Fajuyi had been building before he passed away. Shortly after our arrival in Ado-Ekiti, we decided that instead of renting, we would develop the unfinished building left behind by his father, the late former military governor.
We started by pooling together resources. My husband was a lawyer, while I was a Grade Two teacher at Emmanuel Anglican School, Okesa, Ado Ekiti. At the same time, I was involved in catering. I added the little money I could gather with his, and we began to develop the house. By the time I had my second child, a boy, we had moved into the unfinished building.
My late elder sister, Chief Yinka Agbebi, came to visit us one rainy day. Upon seeing the condition of the house, she said, “Lanre, why are you putting your son under a roof that’s leaking? Why don’t you develop this place?” I explained that we didn’t have the funds, as we had just started. She then asked about my husband, and I called him. She encouraged him to continue with the project, and I once again explained that we didn’t have the money. She then offered to help. My sister owned a quarry, and she said she would provide 2,000 blocks, gravel, cement, and other materials, which she did without asking for any payment. With her support, we were able to continue and eventually completed the one-storey building.
But what led to the demolition of the house?
Things had been going well since our marriage, with no quarrels, until his mother passed away. He called me, expressing that he had no money and was living in poverty. He said he was sick and wanted to sell the house.
I told him, “This is the only building your father left behind. He was a former military governor of the Old Western Region, which now consists of six states – Ekiti, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, and Lagos. He died with only this one house. Why should you sell it?” I opposed his decision to sell, saying, “This is an inheritance that we cannot afford to lose. I won’t allow you to sell it.”
It is that name, Adekunle Fajuyi, that I am trying to protect for our children. It is not just the building, but the legacy, the name. Imagine how people would feel if they found out that the only house belonging to Baba was sold. That’s what led to all this conflict. Despite my objections, he insisted on selling the house, but I stood firm and said no. I said, “If this is your inheritance from your father, then your children should inherit it from you. If it’s your inheritance, does that give you the right to sell it? What will you leave for your children?” He argued that he had already provided them with education, but I still refused to allow the sale. That was where the problem started.
What happened after that?
To cut a long story short, he kept making efforts to sell the house, trying to bring in potential buyers, but the children and I refused. Whenever anyone came to inquire, I would tell them, “You can’t buy it. If you pay for this house, you are at risk.”
Unfortunately, I later learned that he had received money from someone last year, with the expectation that he would hand over the property. No one has come forward to say they have taken possession or paid any money. The matter is now in court, and the court has yet to deliver a ruling.
Who went to court?
He claims the house is his inheritance and that he has the right to sell it, but I insisted that if it was his inheritance, then the children should inherit it from him. That’s why I took him to court, and there was a judgment. The court ruled that the house is our matrimonial home, but he insists it is his inheritance.
So, he is relying on his inheritance, while the court states that it is our matrimonial home and he cannot sell it without my consent. I cannot make any decisions without his consent, and the court has backed me up on this. Unfortunately, all the court documents were destroyed in the demolition.
Did you return to court to seek clarification?
No, I did not return to court. I am relying on the court’s judgment, and I still stand by it. Once the court has given a ruling, what more is there to do?
So, what happened with the demolition on Sunday?
On Sunday, we went to church. He had been trying in various ways to sell the house, but the children kept saying, “No, Daddy, you can’t do it. Please, don’t sell it.” I thought the matter had been settled. I went to church around 6:45 am, and by 10 am, my daughter’s phone rang, and she was told to come home immediately.
When we arrived, there was a bulldozer and men in army uniform standing around, along with other people. I approached them and asked, “Gentlemen, what is going on?” The man replied that they had been ordered to demolish the house. I asked, “Who ordered you?” He repeated that they had been instructed to carry out the demolition. I went to the police station to report the incident. When the police arrived, the bulldozer and its driver were still there. The officers asked the man, who was guarded by a soldier, who had given the order, but he said the person who invited them had told him that no one was living in the building.
I asked, “Can’t you see the curtains, the chairs, and other belongings?” He maintained that he had been instructed to demolish the house. I told him he had done his worst, but that God would take care of the situation. He was invited to the police station, where we both gave statements.
Who is the person behind this?
It was my husband. He wrote it down, stating, “I instructed them to demolish the house.” It is because I didn’t allow him to sell the property.
Have you been having marital issues?
Yes, this is the issue. I stand to be corrected – is it right or proper for him to sell the only house the family lives in? It may be his inheritance, but what gives him the right to sell it?
What about your belongings now?
They are all under the rubble. I wasn’t allowed to remove anything. I was in church when they demolished the house. All my catering equipment and everything else have been destroyed.
How have you been coping since Sunday?
Thank God for His grace. It doesn’t bother me. If I let it, people would say, “Let’s go and see Mummy, let’s buy her fruits, let’s do this or that for her.” But I thank God, and I must confess that I am okay. I am perfectly fine, to the glory of God. What bothers me is how I will recover my belongings that have been destroyed. Do I leave them out in the rain? Should I live under a bridge? We are homeless now. My grandchild, my daughter, and I are without a home. I have only these clothes on me. It doesn’t seem to bother him.
How are your children coping?
They are determined to take action.
For now, how are they managing?
That’s a private matter.
What appeals would you like to make?
The Bible says that all things work together for good for those who love Him. It also says that He cares for me. I trust that God will care for us, that He will take charge of the situation, and that it won’t be long before He intervenes.
You spoke about justice earlier…
Well, let justice be done if the judiciary or whoever is in charge decides to take action. But I am not looking to do anything myself.
Does that mean you are resigning yourself to fate?
Yes.
What is your next course of action?
My lawyer will handle it from here. He can interpret things better than I can, so I will leave it to him. Whatever happens to a person is temporary because nothing is permanent.
People might expect me to say negative things, but I will not. I will continue to pray for him, because I believe he must be remorseful. I will keep praying for him. God will take control of his life. If he thinks he has done good, good luck to him, but I believe God will take charge.
