Residents of Ifon town in Orolu Local Government Area of Osun State have leveled accusations against the Ilobu community, alleging plans to transfer ownership of certain villages within its jurisdiction to neighboring Oyo State.
The geographical division between Osun and Oyo States reportedly lies within Orolu Local Government.
These claims were detailed in a petition presented by Jide Akinyooye, Secretary of the Ifon-Orolu Progressive Union Board of Trustees, on Saturday.
According to the obtained petition, Ifon community members expressed concerns that specific villages under their ownership were being relinquished to towns in Oyo State. They further highlighted that the decision of village leaders to align themselves with towns in Oyo State seemed designed to instigate aggressive responses from the Ifon community.
Akinrotoye urged the prompt intervention of the Osun State Government in addressing these allegations.
“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.
“For instance, the following indigenes of Ilobu: 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.”
He insisted that “Ifon-Osun is convinced that the intention of the sponsors and collaborators on this evil and illegal mission is to cause civil disturbances in the area.”
He added that the aim was to unnecessarily cede territorial boundary land of Osun State to Oyo State by sabotaging the Osun State government position before the National Boundary Commission, NBC.
“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 the Inspector General of Police through the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 11 Police Command to investigate Baale of Iranyin, Oyo State and the impersonators who purportedly installed the Olu-Idiroko, Olu of Molufon, Bara, among others, within Osun State for impersonation under the Chiefs Laws of Osun State to prosecute them accordingly.”
The Otun Jagun of Ilobu, Adegoke Ogunsola, when contacted debunked the allegation.
Ogunsola confirmed that the people of Ilobu who are farmers in Oyo State were installed as Baales.
“Where they were made village heads is not our land. They are farmers on the land. The Aranhin of Irahin 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,” he said.
