Talks over controversial demolition of Ile Arugbo collapses

The meeting between the representatives of the state government and Asa Investment Limited ended yesterday without a concrete resolution and without a specific adjourned date.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the one- hour meeting held at the conference hall of the governor’s office in Ilorin, counsel to Asa Investment Limited, Abdul Ibrahim said the two parties could not reach any concrete agreement.

“Today is the second time we are meeting on this issue of settlement out of court, but up till now we have not been able to agree on definite terms.

“We have adjourned for us to meet again and see if we can iron out the proposed terms of settlement and counter- proposed terms of settlement. That’s where we are now. We hope to meet again before the next adjourned date for the case. No date yet. We adjourned indefinitely,” Ibrahim revealed.

None of the government’s representatives was willing to respond to reporters inquiries at the end of yesterday’s meeting.

In line with the agreement reached on January 24 by the counsel to the Kwara state government and Asa Investment Limited on the need to settle the issue of the demolished Ile Arugbo out of court, representatives of the two parties had last Thursday held the inaugural reconciliation meeting.

After sitting for one hour, the parties adjourned until yesterday for further discussion.

Our correspondent recalls that the state High Court sitting in Ilorin, had on January 15, advised parties in the suit to in the interest of peace, explore an out of court settlement over the disputed land on which the late Olusola Saraki’s Ile Arugbo was built.

In another ruling on January 24, Justice Abiodun Adebara urged the parties to resolve the case amicably before the next adjourned date.

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“This court is particularly, impressed by the parties for the steps taken to settle out of court; they are therefore, enjoined to engage in meaningful discussions that will lead to the resolution of the case out of court. I wish the parties well in their deliberations.

“With the concurrence of the learned counsel, this case is adjourned to March 2 for the report of out-of-court settlement,” the judge had ruled.