How Fresh Ife-Modakeke War Was Averted

 

In this write-up, ISMAEEL UTHMAN gives a graphic detail of how vigilance by all concerned stakeholders prevented what could have resulted to communal clash between Ife and Modakeke communities from escalating.

IN the dead of the night on Sunday, May 17 and at the wee hours of Monday, May 18, 2021, social media was awash with rumoured fresh war between Ile-Ife and its neighbouring Modakeke. The false report of war between the two sleepy towns was so thick that it sent fears across the country and other places in the world. Residents of both Ile-Ife and Modakeke had been fleeing the communities in the dusk. Millions of calls were put across to residents of the towns by their loved ones who were worried over the reported untrue war.

The palace of the Arole Oodua, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and that of Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Moses Oladejo Oyediran, had become a refugee camp, as residents of the communities besieged the palaces, respectively, in quest of safety.

However, before dawn of Monday, stakeholders in both Ile-Ife and Modakeke had already doused the tension, though the people were still afraid of coming out of their hiding places. How was the tension doused? How was the war averted?

Investigations by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that the rumoured war between Ile-Ife and Modakeke began when there were roars of heavy gunshots at Alaro area of Modakeke, situated behind the a resource centre said to be owned by the reigning Ooni. Some armed robbers had reportedly attempted to rob a house in the area, while the house owners resisted them around 11pm on Sunday. In the process, the armed robbers and the house owners were exchanging gunshots, which generated tension in the area and because it is a place in-between Ile-Ife and Modakeke, residents of the area thought the two communities had begun again to wage war against each other.

The rumour came a week after a mother, Mrs. Titilayo Gbadegesin and her son, Reuben Gbadegesin, were killed at Alapata Village, Modakeke, on their way to farm by unknown assailants. The death of the peasant woman and her son had been generating tension and suspicion in Modakeke and its environs.

The rumour of war filtered into the two towns, creating panic among the people. But instead of cocking their guns for war, stakeholders in both Ile-Ife and Modakeke were much interested in what could cause war and where the war started, though warriors in the two communities had mounted surveillance and roadblocks on some roads in defence of their respective domains.

Separately, stakeholders from both Ile-Ife and Modakeke visited Alaro area, where the sound of gunshots was heard. It was then that they discovered the gun duel was between the armed robbers and the landlords, against the unpleasant drumming of sounds of war from right, left and centre, all indicating that the Ile-Ife and her neighbouring Modakeke were cocking their guns for war.

A journalist, Yusuf Adetoyese, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Eye Witness, an online news platform, explained how the Director of Media and Public Affairs to the Ooni, Comrade Moses Olafare, went into Modakeke in the midnight in search of factual information.

Adetoyese wrote: “Olafare, like other top stakeholders across the ancient city of Ile-Ife, was bombarded with truck loads of information and scary messages about a ‘war’ between Ile-Ife and Modakeke communities.

“Moses, they are here o! Can you hear the gunshots?” A caller from the Ibadan road area of Ile-Ife, which shares boundaries with Modakeke community whispered on the phone.

“Please be calm, I want you to assure yourself and others that there won’t be war.” The comrade, who could not believe his ears, responded as he jumped off his bed to find out what the matter was after telephone conversation with several stakeholders including the Arole Oduduwa who directed him to obtain verifiable information.

“Aside from the palace guards and few traditional aides with Baba Oonirisa, Comrade Olafare was alone with the thought of how to avert what looked like a communal clash that could lead to a bloodbath.

“Welcome comrade, we have been waiting for you to help address these people, a guard said as he pointed at some residents of Ile-Ife and Modakeke, who deserted their homes over fear of been caught up in the rumoured crisis.

“You all have come to the right place, this is your home and I want to appeal to you to please keep calm.” Olafare said, as he directed that the palace’s main gate be thrown open for the innocent residents.

“Olafare left the palace in the midnight with a staff known as Benados. He, in company of few others, went to Omisore Junction to obtain firsthand information. At Omisore Junction, he met a prominent Ife youth called Oloka, who told him he was just returning from Modakeke and to prove further, he informed him that he left ‘Awise’ and others behind and there was no crisis whatsoever.

“Happy but unsatisfied with the response, Moses requested to be led into Modakeke, which is about five minutes walk, to meet with teams from both communities as directed by the Ooni.

“It was indeed a crazy request to have asked to visit a rumoured war zone around 1:30am, when he could not even see the eyes of his team members, but the men were equal in gallantry as they agreed to walk with him down to the Oke-Eso enroute Ita-Merin.

As he walked slowly with his phone as a torchlight device, he was accosted by a team of gallant youths from both sides (Ife and Modakeke), who had mounted checkpoints overnight to forestall invasion or crisis of any kind.

The Ife team was led by two men known as Awise and Oloka, while Inanjo led the Modakeke team.

“Oga Press, You never sleep?” The youths taunted as they quickly recognized Olafare, assuring him that suspected troublemakers would be apprehended and handed over to the Police.

“Top of the meeting was Baba Ooni’s conversation with teams from both sides done through Olafare’s phone, during which the Oonirisa reaffirmed that there shall never be a war during his reign. “T’Obalase Kabiyesi”, the guys screamed, as they paid homage to the Oonirisa.

“After leaving Modakeke, Comrade Olafare went round to inform the people that all was well. At Iyekere Axis, he met an elder, a retired army officer, Oyarefun Oyaro, waiting on guard and told them to disperse.

“At Ondo Road Axis, Owa Eredumi was on guard. Ajiroba Mustafa was with Prince Ibitola Elugbaju at St. Peter’s Junction, calming the situation down. At Ajebandele axis, Sooko Kemade Elugbaju and Prince Debo Omisore were contacted and they confirmed the situation was under control.

“Olafare returned to the ancient Ile Oodua, the ancient Palace of Ile-Ife, with authentic information, as an eyewitness in order to allay fears and agitations of the masses.”

In his account, the Public Relations Officer of Modakeke Progressive Union, Venerable Debo Babalola, said the loving and peaceful attitudes of both Ooni and Ogunsua were responsible for how the rumoured war was averted.

Babalola, in an interview with OSUN DEFENDER at the weekend said: “Our two traditional rulers, the Ooni of Ife and Ogunsua of Modakeke are peace lovers. They are calm and peaceful. That is point one for the timely aversion of the crisis.

“It is true that there is a problem at Alapata village in Modakeke where a woman, Mrs. Titilayo Gbadegesin and her son, Reuben Gbadegesin were killed a week ago. But there was peace after the incident.

“At midnight on Sunday, we heard that trouble had started in Alaro. We rushed there to see what was happening but when we got there, we were told that armed robbers tried to enter someone’s house, but the person resisted and there was exchange of gunshots.

“The gunshots sound was what Ile-Ife and Modakeke people heard that made them to think there was war. We immediately began to inform our people that there was no war between the two communities. I went on air the following morning to clarify issues and made the people aware that there was no war.

“There is no problem at all. When we heard rumour that something was happening somewhere, we decided to see it ourselves. We didn’t want to depend on hearsay because that was what almost caused the problem and we have been telling our people not to depend on rumour again. They should always make sure they know the facts before they react positively or negatively.”

The Commissioner of Police in the State of Osun, Mr. Olawale Olokode, led a team of policemen to Ile-Ife and Modakeke to find out what the situation was. Olokode also met with Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi, who declared that there will not be war between Ife and Modakeke. No, never again!