Indigenes of Ifon town in Orolu Local Government Area of Osun State have accused the Ilobu community of plans to cede some villages within its jurisdiction to the neighbouring Oyo State.
DAILY POST reports that Orolu Local Government is a boundary between Osun and Oyo States.
This allegation was contained in a petition by the Secretary of Ifon-Orolu Progressive Union Board of Trustees, Jide Akinyooye on Saturday.
In the petition obtained by DAILY POST, the Ifon community said some villages belonging to the town were being ceded to towns in Oyo State.
He also said the decision by the village heads to pledge allegiance to towns in Oyo State was meant to provoke violent reactions from the Ifon community.
Akinrotoye urged the Osun State Government to act timely on the allegation.
“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.
