The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja has warned land grabbers in Ibadan to desist from their illegal activities or face the full wrath of law.
The Asipa Olubadan – designate, Oba Amidu Ajibade, who issued the warning on his behalf declared that the era of land grabbing in Ibadan has gone for good.
He warned individuals involved in illegal land acquisition to shun the act.
Addressing protesters in his house on Friday to protest encroachment on their family land, Oba Amidu Ajibade emphasized that neither he nor the Olubadan of Ibadanland, supports the activities of land grabbers, adding that strong measures will be taken to curb the menace.
The protesters led by descendant of the Onifade Ogunkanmi lineage of the Lafiku dynasty, Akogun Saheed Olawoyi, accused a one deposed Baale of the Oyetunde family, Jelili Oyetunde, of encroaching on ancestral land of over 50 villages.
He said, “The truth of the matter is that we don’t want the activities of these land grabbers again in Ibadanland as we are not in support of such act.
“Our father who is the Olubadan of Ibadanland stands firmly against such unlawful practices.”
He further warned that anyone attempting to illegally take over land would be met with resistance.
“What we are saying is that we will wage war against land grabbers. How can one claim a land that does not belong to him? So, for this reason, they should go and find another job to do because they won’t thrive on this land grabbing in this dispensation.” Oba Amidu added.
Jelili Oyetunde, who was deposed by the former Olubadan of Ibadanland,
was alleged by Akogun Saheed Olawoyi to have laid claim to multiple villages along the Olojuoro-Olomi axis in Oluyole Local government Area, despite having previously sold his own family village in Eleta to a private individual.
“About six years ago, the so-called Jelili Oyetunde, who happens to be a deposed Baale from the Oyetunde Family in Eleta, began disturbing over villages under the Lafiku Dynasty,” Olawoyin stated.
He clarified that the villages have existed peacefully for over 400 years, with each family settled and identified by their own ancestral name not linked to the Oyetunde lineage.
“They claim to have a judgement from a case between Oyetunde versus Oke, but Oke was from the Jalaruru family, not from our Lafiku line. We are not Oke family, which is very sacrosanct,” he emphasized.
Akogun Olawoyin questioned the legitimacy of Oyetunde’s claims, noting that the land in question is outside their ancestral boundaries and any judgement obtained does not apply to the Lafiku lands.
According to him, the activities of Jelili Oyetunde have allegedly been supported by Mogaji Adenrele Salami and security concerns have escalated with the reported presence of the OPC (Oodua People’s Congress) allegedly affiliated with Gani Adams.
He also revealed that a few weeks ago, operatives from the SWAT unit of the Nigeria Police Abuja under CP Abimbola A. Olugbenga, stormed the area in two buses, with intention of arresting the Baale and other key members of the family with the frivolous petition as usual from jelili oyetunde and family, and detained two residents of the Osundeyi Village, a father and his son, taking them to Abuja even when there is an annex of fcid in lagos.
“We have written several petitions, but when we get to the police station, he is released. We are law abiding citizens, and we don’t want to take the law into our own hands,” he lamented.
