…Says court judgements, gazette affirm Gbere, Opapa parts of Ilobu
The leaders of Ilobu community strongly refuted claims made by the chiefs of Ifon-Osun regarding ownership of pieces of land at Opapa Village, asserting that the land in question has been historically within their possession, with court judgments and state gazettes corroborating their stance.
The leaders in the community stated this during a press conference on Monday in Ilobu, they said “The accusations were labeled as “a tissue of lies” and a “callous attempt” to gain control over land that has long been owned and allocated by the Olobu of Ilobu to local farmers”.
The dispute also took a political turn, with the leaders of Ilobu accusing Ifon-Osun of attempting to incite communal crisis and tarnishing the reputation of Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff and an indigene of Ilobu through a press conference held by Chief Babatunde Oyetunji, the Eesa of Ifon-Osun, and Prince Jide Akinyooye of Ifon.
It can be recalled that The Olobu of Ilobu, His Royal Majesty Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan II (J.P), welcomed a retired military personnel as a guest on August 28, 2023, and explored potential projects under the Military-Civil Relationship of the Nigerian Army.
During this visit, the retired General was taken to areas of Ilobu community that required development.
The Ilobu community emphasized that these areas are incontrovertibly part of their jurisdiction, as confirmed by multiple court rulings and state records.
This dispute is not without history, as violent clashes occurred between Ilobu and Ifon-Osun communities in the past due to demarcation issues.
The leaders of Ilobu also highlighted previous instances of alleged misinformation and provocative statements made by Ifon-Osun representatives, which they claim led to tensions between the two communities.
The leaders of Ilobu have called on security agencies to investigate Chief Babatunde Oyetunji, the Eesa of Ifon-Osun, and Prince Jide Akinyooye for their alleged role in causing potential unrest between the two communities.
They asserted that the claims made by Ifon-Osun are aimed at diverting attention from the Chief of Army Staff’s contributions to the nation’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Ilobu community also expressed gratitude to President Bola Hammed Tinubu for appointing Lt. Gen. Taoheed A. Lagbaja to a national role and urged a resolution to the dispute that will allow the community to focus on national development initiatives.