Osogbo indigenes urge Adeleke to prevail on Timi of Ede from encroaching on capital territory

ThepointngAug 29, 2024Read original

Indigenes of Osogbo, capital of Osun State, under the umbrella, Osogbo Development Action Group have called on the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, to prevail on the Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal, to desist from encroaching on Osogbo land and making utterances that are capable of causing communal clash.

Accusing the traditional ruler of the governor’s hometown of land expansionist moves and provocative utterances around Osogbo and Olorunda Local Government Boundaries, the group further alleged that Oba Lawal has been laying claims to some Osogbo land as belonging to Ede people.

Responding to some documents circulating in the social media containing survey plans, letters and invitation card to a purported Coronation ceremony where the Ede monarch allegedly instructed Ajeniju of Hallelujah, Jelili Olaiya to overlord landmarks belonging to Osogbo and Olorunda LGAs and further describing same as Ede Land Areas in Egbedore LGA, the group urged Governor Adeleke to urgently wade in into the development and prevent possible security threats in the areas affected.

In a statement issued in Osogbo on Thursday by the group’s Coordinator, Ajani Lukman and Secretary, Oladejo Shuaibu, the group noted that if nothing is done on the matter, “it would not do the state any good and would appear as if the governor is abusing his position as the governor to lord Ede over other towns in the state by encroaching on their lands including Osogbo and Olorunda LGAs.”

“It should be carefully noted that Ede, with its distasteful history of land grabbing tendencies around border areas, needed to come off it as the society has outgrown the archaic era of wars and conquests over lands.

“It is therefore our candid resolve to invite the government of the Osun State to avert the looming crisis among many towns and communities sharing boundaries with Ede by urgently taking the following actions:

“Direct the Timi of Ede to immediately cancel the proposed but highly controversial Coronation Ceremony of Ajeniju of Hallelujah scheduled for August 30th, 2024 for the sake of peace and tranquility. It is totally absurd for a Timi’s appointed Chief to overlord on Osogbo land. It is audaciously laughable for a Timi to claim ownership of a place like Agunbelewo and other places in that axis which have never been a subject of dispute.

“Declare as misleading, invalid and inconsequential, the purported land survey sponsored by Timi of Ede showing some landmarks belonging to Osogbo and Olorunda Local Government Areas as Ede Land in Egbedore LGA.

“Demolish all marked illegal palace and residential structures erected on acquired Oke-Osun farm settlement at Opposite Osun State Secretariat Gate, Osogbo up to Zone XI Police Headquarters. Continuous standing of the purported Alabere of Abere Ede Palace and other illegal structures on the acquired land from the Osogbo People stands contrary to the terms of acquisition as well as extant judicial and administrative pronouncements. It should be recalled that same structures have previously been declared illegal, marked and demolished for the same reason of illegality.

“The government should set up a judicial panel of inquiry to look critically into the perennial land grabbing and encroachment claims around border areas among these communities and put it to lasting rest.

“Osun State Secretariat should be properly addressed, printed on signages, government vehicles and properties, letterheads, official communications and announcements as “Osun State Secretariat, Osogbo” as against “Osun State Secretariat, Abere” which is a dubious way of eroding the heritage and constitutional recognition of Osogbo as the Capital of Osun State. It should be noted that this could be further taken up as a constitutional matter if corrections are not effected.

“The Osun State Governor should stand by his constitutional responsibilities of upholding the sanctity of the state without favour or prejudice to all citizens, towns and communities. Security of lives and properties, which are now under threats of Ede Aggression, should be paramount to the Governor and ensure peace being enjoyed in the state is not put into jeopardy.

“We encourage the government and the other cabinet members to critically study the extant judicial and administrative pronouncements on the land up to the 2010 Census Tribunal Ruling for correct guidance so that fatal mistakes are not made.”