- Accuse Elegbedi Of Fuelling Crisis
- Seeks Governor Adeleke’s Swift Intervention
There seems to be no end in sight to the land disputes crisis plaguing communities across Osun State, OSUN DEFENDER reports.
The latest in the series of the crises is the resumption of hostilities between Iloba and Egbedi towns in Egbedore local government area.
OSUN DEFENDER visited the two communities yesterday to witness the ongoing crisis between the communities.
At the ongoing construction of Iloba town hall, the Elegbedi of Egbedi, Oba Muideen Azeez and some of his Chiefs were reported to have stormed the site to stop the project.
The medium learnt that it took the intervention of officers from the Nigeria Service and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun Command, to forestall the chaos.
Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, a community leader in Iloba, Imam Muslihudeen Sodiq narrated the cause of the dispute between the two towns.
Sodiq in the interview accused Oba Azeez as the person behind the incessant attacks.
He said, “Iloba town has been in existence for years. Egbedi and Olosape towns are our neighboring towns and they have been with Oloba since inception. The three towns have their boundaries. But chaos started when the new Elegbedi ascend throne in 2016 when he vowed that he do not want both Iloba and Olosape to no longer be in existence.
“Before he became king, the three towns have been coexisting in peace. There are documents to back this claim. In 2018, he destroyed our property. All our villages were burnt down. We have approached court to seek redress on that.
“In the last one week, they have started going after our people to beat them under the supervision of police. Currently, we are reconstructing our townhall that has been demolished for about six times. All materials mobilised have been carted away by his thugs.
“We are begging Governor Ademola Adeleke to come to our aid. The Commissioner of Police should also intervene in this matter urgently. Our people have been displaced. Some of them have relocated to Ilobu and Ede. Successive governments in the state failed to listen to our cry.”
Recall that in September 2024, Elegbedi and four other defendants were remanded in the Ile-Ife Custodial Centre
following their inability to perfect the bail granted them by the court while standing trial for alleged arson and malicious damage of a farm in Iloba town
Akibu Abioye, Yisa Akolapo, Rasidi Ayandiran and Sarafadeen Abioye were the other defendants standing trial alongside the monarch before an Osun State High Court, sitting in Ede on 29 counts.
Addressing the residents of Iloba and Olosape towns during a protest at the state secretariat yesterday, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Adeleke on Civil Society Engagement, Comrade Ebenezer Ige promised the swift intervention of the state government, adding that their grievances have been noted.
“Governor Ademola Adeleke is a peace-loving man. All your grievances have been noted and will be reported to him appropriately. He will take swift action on the matter,” Ige assured.
All efforts to get the reaction of the Elegbedi proved abortive as his number was switched off as at the time of filing this report.
Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.
