Ifon Community Claim of Opapa Land Ownership: A Tissue Of Lies, Blackmail – Ilobu community

The people of Ilobu, the headquarters of Irepodun Local Government area of Osun State has described the land ownership claim of Opapa Village by Ifon-orolu community as ’tissue of lies and the callous’ attempt.

The community said, Opapa Village presently inhabited by the people of Ilobu, comprises of pieces of land owned and granted by Olobu of Ilobu to the numerous farmers who are in possession of the land.

It also described the claim by the people of Ifon-orolu that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja who hails from Ilobu, was inciting communal crisis between the two communities as maliciously.

Indigenes of Ifon-Orolu in Orolu local Government of the State had on Tuesday staged a protest, warning the Nigerian Army against any action that can trigger crisis between the Community and Ilobu.

The protest was occasioned by the visit and inspection carried out on some pieces of land in Opapa village by some military officers for possible future siting of projects.

Reacting to the claim of the said pieces of land ownership by the indigenes of Ifon-orolu, the Ilobu community refuted the claims that the pieces of land inspected belong to Ifon-orolu community.

Addressing journalists on behalf of the Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Asiru Olaniyan, the Otun Jagun of Ilobu, Adegoke Ogunsola said, it was a retired General planing to build some projects on the land that carried out the inspection on the request of Olobu.

He said Ilobu as a community, frowned at the allegations of involvement of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoheed Lagbaja in the matter.

According to him, number of cases had been instituted on various land matters between the two communities some of which were taken up to the supreme Court.

He said “The places visited are without mincing words, parts of Ilobu Community. Court judgements and Osun State Gazette have, for umpteenth time, confirmed this assertion.

“The judgments in the following cases are available for perusal:
Judgement in Suit No HOY/20/70 between Oba J. O. Akinyooye II, the Olufon of Ifon Osun , for himself and on behalf of chiefs and people of Ifon Osun and Oba Aminu O. Siyanbola, the Olobu of Ilobu, (later Prince Salami Adesina and Prince Kola Oyewumi Siyanbola) delivered on 17/7/1973.

“Judgement in Appeal No FCA/I/1978 between Oba J. O. Akinyooye II, the Olufon of Ifon Osun , for himself and on behalf of chiefs and people of Ifon Osun and Prince Salami Adesina and Prince Kola Oyewumi delivered on 22/9/1981.
Judgement in Suit No HOS/22/86 between Jimoh Adigun & Amusa Akanni and Oba Asiru Olaniyan and others delivered on 18/10/1991.

“Judgement in Appeal No CA/I/153/98 between Amusa Akanni and Oba Asiru Olaniyan delivered 7/7/2005. Olokanla people and Olufon’s alleged grante in Suit No HOS/22/86 and Appeal No CA/I/153/98. 15 years layer filed an application to appeal against the judgment in Appeal No CA/I/153/98, but their application was struck by the Supreme Court in a ruling delivered on 17/4/2018 in Appeal No SC 94/2015.
Judgment in Suit No HOS/40/2015 between HRM Oba A. A. Magbagbeola (OLufon of Ifon) & Orolu local government and the Governor of Osun State & five others, delivered on 13/7/2018.”

The community however called on the security agencies to immediately invite and investigate the Eesa of Ifon-Orolu, Babatunde Oyetunji to stop him from causing crisis within the community.

It however extended hands of fellowship to the Ifon-Orolu Progressives Union for peace move between the communities.