The Ekiti State Government has directed the office of the Surveyor General to commence the process of proper physical demarcation of Epe and Osan Ekiti, Moba Local Government area, as the towns deployed internal mechanisms to resolve their protracted land dispute.
The communities had last year withdrawn their land case pending before the government and set up a Land Dispute Resolution Committee, headed by Prof. Ayan Adeleke and Prof. Wole Adebayo to spearhead a peace initiative, through which the matter was resolved amicably.
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Monisade Afuye, who interfaced with the stakeholders in Ado Ekiti, praised the leadership of the communities for being magnanimous in shifting grounds, leading to the speedy resolution of the crisis.
Afuye said the towns had been able to set a strong precedent in the boundary resolution process in the state, by their decision to settle the crisis using internal mechanisms, rather than relying on the government.
“I want the stakeholders to meet with the Surveyor General, who will lead other government experts to visit the site and do proper physical demarcation and this will be done soon.
As contained in the report of the committee presented by Prof Wole Adebayo, the two communities consented to put the boundary at River Alagada and River Ose after concessions were made from both sides.
“We appeal to the government to come to the site promptly and do the physical demarcation that we have agreed on and this must be done in record time.
Aligning with the position canvassed in the report, the Elepe of Epe, Oba Atolagbe Olakanye and Olosan of Osan, Oba Tajudeen Jimoh, said the two communities, had agreed on a common boundary that can engender peaceful co-existence between them.
The monarchs commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration for being keen on peace and security in all towns, saying this accounted for why the land tussle was resolved amicably.
