Ilobu and Ifon-Osun towns, both in Irepodun local government and Orolu local government areas of Osun State respectively have traded words over ownership of boundary land located at Opapa village which falls in-between the two communities.
The two communities which have been laying claims to ownership of the land in question, had severally exchanged altercations and called themselves unprintable names before heading to the court of law to address the issue.
The matter is said to have died down then until four days ago when the Ifon community through one of its high chiefs, Eesa of Ifon-Osun and one Jide Akinyooye, a prince in the town, claimed that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja was inciting a communal crisis over the visitation of a retired military personnel received by Olobu of Ilobu.
At a press conference, the high Chief accused the army of planning to hijack their community’s parcels of land in connivance with the Ilobu community.
Though the army had denied the accusation which it described as untrue.
However, Ilobu Community, in a separate press conference held at the palace of the town, charged the security operatives to investigate the claim of the Ifon community which it alleged was raising false alarm and creating unnecessary tension in the domains.
Speaking with newsmen, the Jagun of Ilobu, Barrister Adegoke Ogunsola called on the security agencies to immediately invite and investigate the Eesa of Ifon-Orolu, Babatunde Oyetunji and Prince Jide Akinyooye and at the same time warn them from causing crisis within the two communities of Ilobu and Ifon-Osun.
He thereafter explained that “Opapa Village is not only inhabited by the people of Ilobu, but comprises pieces of land owned and granted by Olobu of Ilobu to the numerous farmers presently in possession of the land.
“The people of Ilobu, the headquarters of Irepodun Local Government are compelled again to react to the recent tissue of lies and the callous attempt by Ifon-Osun Community through its chiefs led by Chief Babatunde Oyetunji, the Eesa of Ifon-Osun to claim ownership of land at Opapa Village, which is not only inhabited by the people of Ilobu, but which comprises of pieces of land owned and granted by Olobu of Ilobu to the numerous farmers presently in possession of the land.
“On August 29, 2023, Eesa of Ifon-Osun and one Jide Akinyooye, a prince of Ifon, addressed a press conference at Olufon’s Palace wherein it was maliciously claimed that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja was inciting communal crisis.
“The duo of Eesa and Prince Akinyooye further claimed that a delegation of Nigerian Army visited a piece of land at Opapa on 29 August 2023. The press conference did not only contain false narration, but was also replete of series of blackmail and attempt to drag in the mud, not only the name of Chief of Army Staff, who is a prominent indigene of Ilobu, but also the whole Nigerian Military Institution by a team in Ifon-Osun, Orolu Local Local Government Area of Osun State as spuriously claimed.
“On Monday August 28,2023, Olobu of Ilobu, His Royal Majesty Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan II (J.P) received a retired military personnel as a guest. In the course of the visitation, the Olobu of Ilobu suggested a project under the Military-Civil Relationship of the Nigerian Army. The retired General, who is a friend of Olobu of Ilobu, was then taken to parts of the Ilobu community where people are in need of the project.
“The places visited are, without mincing words, parts of Ilobu Community. Court judgements and Osun State Gazette have, for the umpteenth time, confirmed this assertion.
“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 a permanent site of a private higher institution at Opapa, a community under Ilobu and over which Olobu has ownership rights.
“The recent rantings by Eesa of Ifon-Osun and Jide Akinyooye were not different from their past lies. The Olobu of Ilobu, Chiefs and people of Ilobu once again appreciate the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Hammed Tinubu for finding worthy for national assignment, a prominent son of Ilobu Lt. Gen. Taoheed A. Lagbaja.
“Similarly, on 29 May, 2021, Chief Babatunde Oyetunji, the Eesa of Ifon-Osun made some inflammatory statements in the presence of various security agencies, including the Police and DSS, during the Fidau Prayers for the late Olufon of Ifon-Osun, Oba Al-Maroof Magbagbeola Olumoyero, which could result in communal clash, if people of Ilobu reacted to the said inflammatory statements”.
“We want to reiterate that the claim by the Ifon-Osun Community is an attempt to distract the Chief of Army Staff and the president from pursuing his Renewed Hope Agenda for Nigeria,” he submitted.
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