Pastor Ashimolowo refutes land dispute allegations, warns against defamation

The 72-year-old cleric dismissed the allegations as baseless.

Nigerian clergyman and senior pastor of Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) in London, Matthew Ashimolowo, has broken his silence regarding the land dispute allegations levelled against him.

PREMIUM TIMES learned that the management of Arch-View Investments Limited recently filed a petition against the clergyman and submitted it to the Ogun State House of Assembly.

Arch-View Investments Limited accused the 72-year-old cleric of harassment, intimidation, and the unlawful sale of land belonging to Bluestone Garden City Limited.

In response, Mr Ashimolowo, through a statement issued by his legal representatives and sent to this newspaper on Friday, dismissed the allegations as baseless.

His legal team described the claims as not only unfounded but also malicious, filled with falsehoods, and deliberately misrepresenting and suppressing material facts.

Furthermore, they clarified that the disputed transaction at the heart of the petition was strictly between Arch-View Investments Limited and Bluestone Properties Limited.

The statement partly read: “​By the agreed terms of the Contract of Sale between both parties (i.e. Bluestone Garden City Limited, and Arc-View Investments Limited), dated 1st August 2022, which was entered into, after extensive deliberations, the modes of payment were agreed to by both parties as contained in the agreement.

“The payment period was to be within two {2} years, which payment was to be completed in April 2024, and but failed in four years of unfulfilled obligations and promises, despite a moratorium period of over 4 months obliged to the company. Arch-View Investment Limited totally disregarded the payment arrangement, and the last payment received was in June 2024.”

Payment proposal

According to the legal representatives, Arch-View Investment Limited repeatedly defaulted on its payment proposal, thereby undermining and disrupting the clergyman’s business projections.

“​Bluestone Garden City Limited had on several times bent backwards in overlooking the Arch-View Investment Limited’s default in meeting her financial obligations as agreed to by parties, which persists, and view that it tends to suggest that ab-initio the company really knew what she desired to do and the recent action is an indication of the intent;

“​Our client also noted that, while stagnating payments to her, Arch-View Investment Limited had other land transactions with some others, wherein the company made outright payment with stiff conditions for the land purchase she made and, in such others, was not allowed to spread of payment, and the company ensured full outright payment without fail”, added the statement.

They acknowledged that Mr Ashimolowo demonstrated good faith and a strong commitment to fulfilling the contract while adhering to its terms and spirit.

According to the legal team, Arch-View Investment Limited failed to show adequate respect and commitment to its financial obligations as agreed upon by both parties.

They further stated that, to date, Arch-View Investment Limited has only paid a fraction of the sale price, amounting to less than 36 per cent.

“​Our client is therefore constrained to reconsider her business relationship with Arch-View Investment Limited, and consequently terminated the contract agreement in its entirety and informed that a refund of the payments made would be obliged in the manner it was paid, as the premise and context of the agreement have been eroded by Arch-View Investment Limited, which is not acceptable to our client.

“​Accordingly, your company’s workmen or officers are forthwith barred and or prohibited from entering any part of the 285 Acres of land subject.”

Obasanjo’s intervention

Furthermore, Mr Ashimolowo’s legal representatives stated that the stalemate between both parties prompted Arch-View Investment Limited to seek the intervention of former President Olusegun Obasanjo for mediation.

The legal team added that following Mr Obasanjo’s intervention, certain terms were proposed, which were acceptable to the clergyman.

The terms read below: “i​-The 35 Acres at the Folakan Area (Parcel A) be released by Bluestone at the earlier rate which parties negotiated, while both parties should renegotiate and agree to the current price for Papa lanto Area; ii​-Access to the 35 Acres will be allowed upon formal Agreement of parties on the above terms; or

“iii​-Bluestone refunds monies paid in respect of the Papa Area (Parcel B);

iv​The said refund shall be in tandem with the mode of payment by instalment made by your company.”

The legal team stated that Arc-View rejected the proposal and instead filed a criminal complaint against Mr Ashimolowo with the Ogun State Police Command.

They added that the police concluded the dispute was purely civil and, like Mr Obasanjo, intervened to mediate between the parties.

“Our client is constrained to again respect and honour the Institution and in particular the DCP State CID and therefore, makes the under-listed terms as follows: i​-A total of 78 Acres would be released by our Client to Arc-View;

“ii​-The 35 Acres at the Folakan Area (Parcel A) would be released at the rate per Acre agreed to at the inception of the transaction; iii-​The 43 Acres at the Papa Area (Parcel B) would be released at a new rate per Acre;

iv ​Access to both lands shall only be allowed upon formal Agreement of parties on the above terms, which remain valid till close of work on Monday, 17th February 2025, and Execution of relevant Deeds and documents in the regard”, said the legal team.

The statement further read: “Arc-view was also notified that if we do not receive the company’s acceptance as stated above, then our client would be constrained to rescind her reconsider the position, and hold as follows:

ii​ Bluestone shall refund the entire monies paid by your company in respect of the land; iii​ the said refund shall be in tandem with the mode of payment by instalment made by the company.

“After attempting several unsuccessful mediation efforts with the involvement of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Nigerian Police, Arc-View turned to the Ogun State House of Assembly in an attempt to find leverage where all other avenues have failed. This raises serious concerns about the true motives behind the petition. Had Arch-View been genuinely interested in resolving the dispute, they would have sought legal recourse through the courts or approached relevant law enforcement agencies, rather than seeking to use the House of Assembly as a tool for personal gain.

“​It is therefore to the dismay and shocking disbelief of our clients, the damaging and defamatory Petition made to the Ogun State House of Assembly, and the wide publications made by some media outfits without prior confirmation of the true facts and thereby maligning our clients before the general public;

“​Consequently, therefore, we hereby issue a strong and unequivocal warning to all media outlets and individuals engaged in the dissemination of defamatory and misleading information against Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo. Any further attempt to tarnish his reputation will be met with swift legal action. Pastor Ashimolowo’s image has been seriously misrepresented, and the spread of such misinformation has resulted in significant harm to his character.

“The public is being misled, and it is imperative that the media refrain from further defamatory statements or publications that are unfounded and unsupported by factual evidence;

“We also draw attention to the fact that the petition presented by Arch-View, based on false premises and a breach of contract on their part, should be handled through the appropriate legal channels, including civil or criminal litigation, and not through the politicization of a matter that is purely contractual in nature.”