How 16yr-old land dispute tore 3 Osun communities apart

•How communal clash causing sorrow, tears, blood

•Why govt’s 2014 Gazette failed to restore peace

•Will Adeleke’s curfew restore nomalcy?

•We’re tired of curfew, Ifon community begs Adeleke

•Orolu stakeholders ready to cooperate

THE embers of discord fanned by a perennial communal clash within some communities in Irepodun and Orolu local government areas of Osun State over land seem to have rekindled. 

The unending land dispute has led to the destruction of lives and property in an unimaginable proportion.

The communities of Ifon, Ilobu and Erin-Osun have been embroiled in bloody clashes for over 16 years.

It was gathered that the communities have taken up arms against one another at four different times leaving a trail of sorrow, tears and blood.

Unfortunately, during these times, Okanla which is inbetween these feuding communities, has always been caught in the crossfire.

Successive administrations in the state have tried fruitlessly to resolve the crisis. 

Former Governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on his part, went as far as gazetting some resolutions that could have stopped the clash but all his efforts failed to bring the desired result.

 The precursors

Sometime in September 2023, a crisis ensued between Okanla and Ilobu following the former’s allegiance to Ifon as its landlord in the area. 

In the crisis, anyone seeking admission to a higher institution was killed and his body was burnt to ashes. 

The killing of a young man and the destruction of property resulted in the declaration of curfew by the state government to restore law and order.

Earlier, the Ifon community had kicked against the alleged decision to locate a military hospital on the disputed land between Ifon and Ilobu, accusing the Ilobu people of attempts to use the connection of their son, who is the Chief of Army Staff, General Taoreed Lagbaja.

The allegation was, however, debunked.

In October, early morning killings in Ifon also precipitated another round of crisis which caught security operatives off guard.

The Gazette of 2014

A major contending issue among Ifon, Ilobu and Erin-Osun, according to a Vanguard investigation, is the gazette issued by the Aregbesola administration in 2014 after a crisis in the area.

Stakeholders from Ifon alleged that some prominent Ilobu indigenes, working in the former administration, allegedly influenced the gazette in favour of Ilobu, describing the recent take-over of disputed lands by the state government as the only temporary solution to the crisis.

Warring communities trade tackles

The Secretary, Board of Trustees of the Ifon-Orolu Progressive Union, Prince Jide Akinyooye said Governor Ademola Adeleke’s decision to take over disputed land was just temporary, seeking an outright recall of the 2014 gazette issued by the Aregbesola administration.

Akinyooye explained that the gazette ceded major parts of Olufon’s land, without the monarch’s consent, to Olobu and Elerin, a decision which he claimed was responsible for the crisis after the tenure of the administration.

The scribe said: “The decision to take over the disputed lands is just temporary; the state government should recall the gazette that ceded the majority of Olufon’s land to Olobu and Elerin. Then, there should be a roundtable discussion on how to resolve the impasse. We believe that to achieve peace, we must deploy the give and take approach to the crisis not just imposition of decision influenced by a section of the warring parties.”

But a Prince of Okanla, Kadiri Oladimeji said the community is an autonomous settlement which has always been at the receiving end of Ilobu aggression anytime it has an axe to grind with Ifon.

Oladimeji said: “We in Okanla recognise the superiority of Ifon, being the landlord in the area and we have always paid obeisance to the community. Perhaps it is the basis for which we’re always attacked during a crisis that does not concern us. Ilobu militants have always attacked our people if they cannot reach Ifon and because of this, we plead with the state government to recognise our autonomous status so that the issues can be completely resolved in a way to ensure lasting peace in the area.”

On its part, the spokesperson of the Olobu-in-Council and the Otun-Jagun of Ilobu, Chief Adegoke Ogunsola, while briefing newsmen on the causes of the crisis, insisted that the government cannot forcefully take over land in any community without their consent.

Also, the Public Relations Officer of Ilobu-Asake Development Union, Tairu Babatunde, said the Ifon community has already gone to court on the issue of the gazette and therefore, cannot be talking of a negotiation now without withdrawing their case.

Babatunde said: “Before the gazette, the three monarchs, Olufon, Olobu and Elerin sought the state government’s intervention; we all sat, concessions were made from all sides before the gazette was issued. If they are no longer at ease with it, the court is the appropriate place to go.

“They should either settle the matter in court or go ahead and withdraw it before bringing the issue of negotiation. If they are not withdrawing their suit then sitting at a roundtable is going to be a mirage and nothing more.”

On the Okanla issue, he said the Ilobu people had been living in peace with Okanla, which is a compound within the town, saying only a few disgruntled elements within the family are causing trouble by pledging allegiance to Ifon, which may threaten our existence as a people. 

Gov Adeleke imposes 24-hour curfew

To calm strayed nerves, Governor Ademola Adeleke insisted that a 24-hour curfew imposed on the communities remains to give room for law and order.

He also ordered that security operatives deployed to the area should be vigilant to avoid further breakdown of law and order.

We’re tired of curfew, Ifon community begs Adeleke

Meanwhile, the Ifon-Orolu community has pleaded with Governor Adeleke to relax the 24-hour curfew imposed on the community due to communal clash that occurred last week.

The community, in a statement by Mr Akinyooye, begged the governor to relax the said curfew, pledging the community’s commitment to lasting peace in the area.

The statement reads: “Following the recent crisis that occurred in Ifon-Orolu, Ilobu and Okanla communities and subsequent to the prompt actions by the Osun State Government that warranted decision to impose 24 hours curfew in the affected areas of Osun State; we are constrained to appeal to Governor Adeleke to relax the curfew that has been ordered since Thursday October 5, 2023.

“We commiserate with all affected families and victims of the communal crisis in Ifon-Orolu, Erin-Osun and Okanla communities.

“Orolu stakeholders are ready to cooperate as ever with the Osun State Government on the Peace-Pact that was signed by all concerned parties on October 6, 2023.

“We have appealed to our people and hopeful that all initiatives by the administration of the current administration to restore peace in both Irepodun and Orolu Local Government areas will lead to final resolution of the recurring issues.

“We are using this opportunity to appeal to Orolu residents to continue to remain calm because there can only be meaningful development when there is peace.

“We are using this medium to appeal and solicit for necessary assistance on behalf of all affected victims and families that have lost lives and properties. It is worth-mentioning that a lot of people are now homeless, while some have lost all their source of livelihood during the unfortunate crisis. Therefore, we are requesting for good attention from Osun State Government, Orolu Local Government, political leaders and other well-meaning Nigerians to assist the affected victims in order to alleviate their sufferings.”

Culled from Vanguard