Bolaji Obabiyi (intern)
The residents of Elere Adubi community on Tuesday presented a petition to Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba (Prof) Saka Matemilola raising alarm over alleged persistent land grabbing and an attempt to install a Baale on their ancestral land by unnamed individuals.
Penpushing reports that the community, under the aegis of Elere Adubi indigenes stormed the Olowu palace to registered their complaint accused certain individuals of laying claim to large portions of their farmland.
The petitioners told the first-class traditional ruler that the Olu of Ajipatutun, Oba Akeem Akinbiyi, allegedly sought authority from other traditional institutions to install one Lekan Muibi Usman as the Baale of a settlement known as Gbagbanla Igbo Olomi, which they insisted does not exist within Elere Adubi boundaries.
Penpushing further reports that in an address jointly signed and presented to Olowu, the community leaders expressed gratitude to the monarch for what they described as his consistent willingness to listen to their grievances, particularly for rejecting a recent request seeking approval to install Usman as Baale within the disputed area.
The petitioners, emphasized that Elere Adubi community has, for over a decade, been subjected to intimidation by land grabbers allegedly acting on the instructions of a man identified as Solomon Daniel, also known as Jerusalem.
Penpushing also reports that they alleged that the agents named as Lekan Muibi Usman, Tunde Joseph and Samson Adebisi claimed ownership of about 6,000 acres of land purportedly purchased by their grandfather from persons unknown to the Elere Adubi community.
The indigenes maintained that none of the individuals laying claim to the land has ancestral or historical ties to Elere Adubi, noting that some of them originated from Egun, Ijebu-Igbo and Igbin-Rola communities.
Penpushing reports that the residents equally alleged that the situation deteriorated when Oba Akeem Akinbiyi allegedly threw his weight behind the land grabbers, insisting that there has never been a settlement known as Gbagbanla Igbo Olomi in the Elere Onigbedu axis.
The complainants citing historical records and maps of the Lagos/Abeokuta Colony of 1913 to support their claim, disclosed that several petitions had been written to security agencies, including the police, the Department of State Services and the Ogun State Task Force, without yielding positive results.
Penpushing further reports that Baale of Elere Adubi, Chief Rasheed Olakunle Idowu, speaking with journalists after the meeting with Olowu said his life was under threat due to his opposition to the alleged illegal acquisition of his community’s land.
The Baale alleged that individuals linked to the controversy had been targeting him because of his role in restraining youths from resorting to violence.
“My life is at stake because I am standing for my people. I have been telling our youths to remain calm and avoid violence, even in the face of provocation. We don’t want war in Elere Adubi and Onigbedu’, he said.
Penpushing also reports that he added that the community approached the Olowu as a father and custodian of justice, stressing that the disputed lands historically belonged to Elere Adubi ancestors.
The community head expressed confidence in the monarch’s intervention, pointing out that the Olowu had appealed to the community to maintain peace while assuring them that the matter would be addressed.
Penpushing reports that Olowu in respond them urged the Elere Adubi community, particularly the youths, to remain calm and law-abiding, assuring them that appropriate steps would be taken to resolve the matter peacefully.
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