‘Ori-Oke Erinmo’ To Be Reopened As Stakeholders Settle Ownership Crisis In Favour Of Osun
The popular Ori-Oke Erinmo, Oriade Local Government of Osun State, is set to be reopened after settlement of ownership crisis that had been rocking the prayer mountain for almost a year.
The prayer mountain would come back to its spiritual life be reopened before the commencement of the 2024 lenten season, according to a resolution signed by state stakeholders at a meeting organised towards addressing knotty issues on its location.
It would be recalled that the ownership crisis started when the children of the last administrator of the mountain, Pa Joseph Odeyemi Bojesomo, a native of Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State, attempted to bury their father on the holy land in 2023.
The children also attempted to cede the prayer mountain to Efon Alaye, as they claimed in the invitation for the burial ceremony that the mountain fell within Efon Alaaye and not Osun.
Some indigenes of Erinmo were in December 2023 attacked with guns and harmful objects by unknown gunmen allegedly hired by the Bijesomo’s children, a development that led to total closure of the famous mountain by the Osun State Police Command.
A statement issued on Saturday by the Elerinmo in Council and signed by Chief Taiwo Agbonmagbe and Chief Samuel Omosebi, indicated that the Surveyor General and his technical team of boundary commission had confirmed that the mountain belongs to Erinmo town, Osun State.
The statement, which was made available to OSUN DEFENDER on Saturday, also noted that no individual or family would have exclusive control over the administration of the mountain forthwith.
The statement further read, “That Ori Oke Agbara Emi Mimo In Erinmo will be developed as a veritable tourist centre open for inter denominational visitors.
“That efforts will be put in place to reopen Ori Oke Agbara Emi Mimo In Erinmo on or before the commencement of the 2024 lenten season subject to approval of the police authorities.
“That the Elerinmo in council will approach the Osun State Police command to review its directive so that Ori Oke Agbara Emi Mimo in Erinmo can be re opened to the public.
“That it has been determined by the Osun State boundary commission on the report of the State Surveyor General that Ori Oke Agbara Emi Mimo is located in Erinmo Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State”.
Sodiq Yusuf is a trained media practitioner and journalist with considerable years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital journalism. His interests cover a wide range of causes in politics, governance, sports, community development, and good governance.