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Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
Non-indigene farmers in Ila-Orangun in Ila Local Government Area of Osun State risk eviction from the town if they fail to stop further agitation for compensation for their land used for the construction of the Police Mobile College.
The monarch, Orangun of Ila, Oba Wahab Oyedotun, who gave the warning, urged them to withdraw the court cases and claims against the government.
‘We use this opportunity to inform all non-natives who are in court to withdraw their claims on the government, otherwise we will have no alternative than to evict them from our land, as their holdings on our land are not in perpetuity,’ Oba Oyedotun stressed.
‘We implore that anybody who is a non-native and who can not abide by our decision is free to leave our town.
‘Any non-native farmers on Ila-Orangun’s land who cannot abide by our noble cause would be declared as enemy of Ila-Orangun,’ he added.
Oba Oyedotun said the land was given free to both the Osun State and the Federal Government for the construction of the college as a part of its contribution to development.
He called on both native and non-native farmers agitating for compensation to desist forth with.
The monarch said that while the natives of the town had agreed to the decision of the community to give the land to government for free, some people numbering about 600 present themselves as new claimants of additional compensation in court.
He insisted that the community had dissociated itself from the claims because they are arbitrary, false and fraught with irregularities.
‘We are aware that the amount of monetary claims quoted by individual farmer in respect of the farm produce are highly inflated and unreasonable,’ the monarch said.
‘We dissociate ourselves from these claims and Ila-Orangun indigenes will deem actions of the alleged farmers intentionally calculated to forestall the economic development of the town and scare away potential investors.’
The monarch, who noted that the land was given to both the state and the Federal Government for the construction of the college, said nobody should claim any form of monetary compensation from government either on the land or the farm produce.
He, however, said the people of the town were not against any amount government deems desirable within its means to give to deserving and identified farmers.
Oba Oyedotun, who noted that the land was also given free to the claimants by the community, said there was no need for them to be making claims from government.
He, however, stressed that the decisions were taken after due consultation with all the claimants, Ila citizens and non-indigenes.
The monarch said the little money contributed by the community to be given as compensation to farmers was rejected, adding that the claimants insist on getting compensation from government.
Earlier in his remarks, the Orangun of Oke-Ila,irregularities. expresed delight that the college had inspired development, joy and glory in the town since it was established.
He called on the indigenes and non-indigenes of the town to keep supporting the development of the town and the college.
