Oluwo Alleges Plans to Cede Osun Territory to Oyo, Seeks Urgent Federal Intervention
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has raised an alarm over what he describes as a covert attempt to cede parts of Osun State—particularly villages within the Iwo axis—to the Lagelu community in neighbouring Oyo State.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Alli Ibraheem, the monarch warned that the development could trigger fresh communal unrest if not addressed immediately.
He therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to set up an independent committee of enquiry to investigate the boundary dispute and prevent a potential crisis.
“There are indicators of a compromise to cede part of Osun State in the Iwo axis to Lagelu in Oyo State, a situation that may trigger another civil unrest in the affected villages,” the Oluwo alleged.
Oba Akanbi described the move as an attempt to “steal the ancestral birthrights of the people of Iwo land,” stressing that residents of the affected communities were already agitated due to previous clashes involving land grabbers from Offa and Lagelu. He recalled an incident in April in which three people reportedly lost their lives.
“The families of the victims and residents of the affected villages in Iwo land intend to carry out a reprisal,” he said, noting that he had counselled them to seek legal redress rather than resort to violence.
“I assured them of an objective report from the National Boundary Commission. They listened to my advice.”
The monarch, however, expressed concern over the handling of boundary documents, claiming that historical evidence presented by Osun State was allegedly misplaced by the authorities.
“The indicators show that all historical documents and evidence received from Osun State have been misplaced. If documents are missing, the committee has a right to call for other copies from us.”
Reaffirming that the contested villages historically belong to Osun State, Oba Akanbi pointed to public facilities schools, hospitals, and polling units that all bear Osun State identification.
“The people of Iwo are the landlords of the affected villages. They have their schools, hospitals and other public facilities and voting units bearing Osun State. It will be a national treason to force them to another state,” he insisted.
The Oluwo appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke to act swiftly and urged security agencies to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
While expressing confidence in the federal government’s ability to address the issue, he emphasised that only prompt, transparent intervention would prevent tensions along the disputed boundary from escalating further.
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
