A traditional ruler in Osun State, Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan, has appealed to indigenes Ilobu and Ifon-Osun to guard against inciting statement that might threaten the peace in the communities.
The monarch cautioned individuals making false claim on land ownership at Opapa Village, Ilobu to desist and allow peace to reign.
Oba Olaniyan, who spoke through the Otun-Jagun of Ilobu, Chief Goke Ogunsola, faulted the claim by the Eesa of Ifon-Osun, Chief Babatunde Oyetunji, and one Jide Akinyooye on the ownership of the land.
Oyetunji had earlier raised alarm that the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, who hails from Ilobu, wanted to put a project on the land without informing the people of Ifon Osun.
The monarch said several court judgements on the contentious land were in favour of Ilobu and warned Oyetunji not to drag Lagbaja in to the controversy.
According to the statement, “Before and after the court judgments were delivered, Olobu of Ilobu and people of Ilobu had been and are still in active possession, occupation, use and ownership of all lands in Ilobu and have been allocating to individuals, group of people, private and public organization, government and government agencies.
“More specifically, Olobu of Ilobu has always exercising his possessive and ownership rights over land in Opapa, Gbere and their neighbouring villages. Recently, Olobu of Ilobu granted land for building of permanent site of a private higher institution at Opapa, a community under Ilobu and over which Olobu has ownership right.”
On 22nd July, 2005, serious bloody and fatal communal clash occurred between Ilobu and Ifon-Osun when the people of Ifon-Osun attempted to prevent the National Population Commission to demarcate some parts of Ilobu Community
“We call on the security agencies to immediately invite and investigate the Eesa of Ifon-Orolu, Babatunde Oyetunji and Prince Jide Akinyooye to stop them from causing crisis among the people of the two communities of Ilobu and Ifon-Osun”, the monarch said.
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