The management of the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure (FECA), has dismissed recent claims suggesting that the Supreme Court has ruled in favour of the Ogunmokun Family over ownership of a portion of its land, stating that the legal battle remains unresolved.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, the Provost of the institution, Dr. Albert Fadiyimu, clarified that although the college had previously lost the case at both the Ondo State High Court and the Court of Appeal, no final judgment has been delivered by the Supreme Court on the matter.
Fadiyimu described the widespread report that the apex court had granted possession of the land to the Ogunmokun Family as “erroneous and misleading.” He explained that while the Supreme Court had earlier struck out an appeal by the college due to procedural issues, a valid application for leave to appeal has since been filed and is currently awaiting hearing.
“Let it be abundantly clear,” he said, “the Supreme Court is now seized of the matter. No final decision has been made, and no party has the legal or moral right to act unilaterally or incite the public with inaccurate claims.”
The provost further warned against any form of transaction involving the disputed land, stressing that any such actions would be premature and unlawful until the court reaches a final verdict.
“No one should buy, lease, or engage in any transaction on the disputed land until the Supreme Court delivers its judgment. Any such move will attract legal consequences,” he cautioned.
Fadiyimu reiterated that the college’s legal team had taken all necessary steps to ensure that the matter is revisited properly by the court. He maintained that what transpired earlier was a procedural dismissal, not a ruling on the merits of the land ownership case.
“There is a deliberate attempt to confuse the public on the difference between a case being struck out and a final judgment. The former does not amount to a ruling on the substantive issues,” he noted.
The institution urged members of the public and stakeholders to remain calm and patient, assuring that the college would continue to pursue all legal avenues to protect its land and institutional integrity.
