A landlord in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Olamide Ayoola, has accused his tenant, Ajibola Owolabi, of breaching a tenancy agreement by converting a residential apartment into a drinking bar and car wash without consent.
Owolabi, who operates Rodeo International Hotel in the Awoyeku area of Ile-Ife, reportedly rented a two-bedroom flat on July 1, 2024, to accommodate some of his hotel staff. However, the property owner alleged that by October 2024, the tenant had erected a large bar structure within the premises and extended his hotel business into the compound, including occupying the second unit of the two-flat building.
According to Ayoola, the lease agreement clearly prohibited the erection of any additional structures without the landlord’s written permission. “I was shocked when I got reports that he had built a bar and opened a car wash business within my residential property,” he said.
Ayoola said he made several efforts to resolve the matter amicably, including seeking intervention from notable traditional chiefs in Ile-Ife, but all efforts were unsuccessful.
Consequently, Ayoola, through his lawyer, Gboyega Amusan, issued a six-month quit notice on December 31, 2024, asking Owolabi to vacate the premises by the end of his tenancy in June 2025. When the notice was not complied with, another seven-day quit notice was issued on July 2, 2025, by a different lawyer, Adekoya Idowu.
Owolabi confirmed receipt of the notice but denied any malicious intent. “I never had the intention of taking over another person’s property. I was only using the place to entertain some of my customers since some of my staff also live there,” he told reporters.
He acknowledged the landlord’s generosity and maintained that there was no dispute between them. “Since he gave me a quit notice, I have been looking for a way to rent another place and move out,” he added.
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