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Members of Agboro, Latunde, Olorode, Agbelu, Odedola, Akero, and Sagalu communities in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State have accused the Olu of Obafemi, Oba Taofeeek Owolabi, of forcibly taking over 500 hectares of their land.
In a protest, the communities, led by the Baale of Agboro, Chief Isaac Oguntoyinbo, and the Baale of Latunde, Chief Sunday Olatunde, and other village heads recalled that some armed hoodlums which invaded their communities on December, 2023 and started to clear about 500 hectares of lands belonging to them.
According to them, the hoodlums also destroyed all the cash crops like kola nut, cocoa, cashew, mango, palm trees, plantain, cassava, maize and other food crops like vegetables, tomatoes and pepper planted on the land.
Efforts to stop the destruction, they said proved abortive as the fiercely looking men who were bent on fulfilling their mission.
“At the end of this exercise, about 500 hectares of land were cleared and pegged. This was followed by the arrival of bulldozers to clear the lands including all the cash crops like kola nut, cocoa, cashew, mango, palm trees, plantain, cassava, maize and other food crops like vegetables, tomatoes and pepper planted on them.
The community claimed that their inquiry revealed that the Olu of Obafemi, Oba Taofeek Owolabi Kayode was behind the hoodlums activities.
They said “We were then happy to note that no son or daughter of our communities was involved in either the sale of our land or this forceful takeover.
“We then made a representation to the Olu of Obafemi to find out what could have happened and were shocked when he offered us money. This offer was of course rejected because no one was ready to sell land that is used to feed the family,” it was said.
The community leaders and their subjects said they were offered N200,000 per acre by the Oba Owolabi, but they rejected the offer.
The villagers threatened to take legal action if nothing is done to stop the alleged takeover of their land, appealing to Governor Dapo Abiodun and the Alake of Egba to wade in.
Meanwhile, communities are currently facing the challenge of water scarcity as the villagers now source water from unclean sources following the blockage of their only water source.
“The only source of water has also been damaged and the road to the only public school (Sagalu Muslim school) fenced off,” the village heads said.
Reacting to the allegations of forcible takeover of land in Agoro and others, the monarch asked the people to go to court.
He also urged them to bring out their papers if they were sure of the ownership of the said land.
The monarch stated that the majority of those accusing him of land grabbing were non-indigenes with no ancestral link to the village.
“I am the prescribed authority over the lands in my domain in Orile Ijeun, not the Alake. I have a root in Agboro. I have family members there. Those accusing me of taking over their lands should seek legal redress,” the monarch stated, calling on individuals with genuine claims to approach him instead of disrespecting the crown.
