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From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
The people of Ifon in Orolu Local Government of Osun State have alleged a plan by some indigenes of Ilobu in Irepodun Local Government to cede some villages under Orolu to Oyo State.
The Secretary of Ifon-Orolu Progressive Union Board of Trustees, Prince Jide Akinyooye, at a press conference, yesterday, alleged that Ilobu people had been trying to resuscitate a civil disturbance between the two communities since the end of the last clash.
Akinyooye alleged that some village heads were installed by Surulere Local Government Area of Oyo State and had been strategizing to settle in their respective targeted villages in Ifon-Osun, under the administrative jurisdiction of Orolu Local Government area of Osun State to provoke people to violence.
His words: “On Friday, 29th December 2023 it came to our notice that some indigenes of Ilobu, who are farmers in most of the villages under Orolu Local Government, Ifon-Osun were installed by Baale of Iranyin in Surulere Local Government of Oyo State) as new chiefs in their respective settlements under the customary authority of Olufon of Ifon, and obviously under the administrative jurisdiction of Orolu Local Government, and Osun State.
“For instance, the following indigenes of Ilobu namely; Mr. Tafa; a villager in Bara-Odunayo village was installed and named a Chief to be controlling Bara village in Orolu Local Government. Also, Mr. Alani; a villager in Olosho in Orolu Local Government area Ifon-Osun was installed and named by a traditional ruler in Surulere Local Government area of Oyo State to be controlling Olosho Village in Orolu Local Government of Osun State.
“A similar situation applies to Molufon and Idi-Iroko Model Towns whose Chiefs are Second Class Obas under Osun State Chief Laws. Unfortunately, we factually realized that all these grand conspiracies were maliciously hatched and executed against the people of Ifon, Orolu Local Government, and the government of Osun State with knowledge of Chief Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan, the Baale of Ilobu in Osun State who received them in his palace with fanfare.
“We are convinced that the intention of their sponsors/collaborators on this evil and illegal mission is not only to unnecessarily cede territorial boundary land of Osun State to Oyo State by sabotaging the Osun State government position before the National Boundary Commission but also to cause civil disturbance in the area.
“It is important to clarify to the members of the public that public facilities including primary schools, primary health centers, low-cost housing, motorized boreholes, and other social amenities that were provided by the government of Osun State exist in the concerned locations, that also accommodated Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Polling Stations positioned within Olufon Ward 10 of Orolu Local Government area, Ifon-Osun without dispute from time immemorial.
“We are calling on the Osun State Government and Inspector General of Police through the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 11 Police Command to investigate Baale of Iranyin, Oyo state, the impersonators who were purportedly installed the Olu-Idiroko, Olu of Molufon, and Bara among others within Osun State for impersonation under the Chiefs Laws of Osun State to prosecute them accordingly.”
When contacted, the Otun Jagun of Ilobu, Adegoke Ogunsola, confirmed that the people of Ilobu who are farmers in Oyo state were installed as Baales.
He said, “Where they were made village head is not our land. They are farmers on the land. The Aranhin of Iranhin in Surulere Local Government installed them. The only thing I know is that our people who are farmers on the land of Irahin and Iresa-adu were installed as village heads and there is no problem there,” Ogunsola said.
