Concern over ongoing boundary conflicts between Ibadan in Oyo and Iwo in Osun States has been voiced by Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Olubadan-In-Council, and other stakeholders in Ibadan land.
They announced this in a statement during a meeting on Monday at Oba Rashidi Ladoja’s home in Bodija, which is the home of Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland.
In a statement jointly signed by the former Chief Press Secretary to Oyo State Governor, Adeola Oloko and Mogaji Nurudeen Akinade in Ibadan, the state capital, on Tuesday, the stakeholders submitted that the major reason behind the intractable problem is gold mining, rather than land dispute.
They said, “There is a need for stakeholders’ intervention so as to prevent the crisis from getting out of hand.
“Other key figures comprising elements from the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes, Ibadan Mogajis, and Ibadan Compound Peace Initiative had gone to wish Olubadan happy Easter and branched to Otun Olubadan Ladoja’s house before lamenting the spate of killing, kidnapping and arson along Ogburo boundary corridor between Ibadan and Iwo axis of Osun State.”
However, they made no mention of the involvement or legality of the mining operations that were allegedly taking place on the Ibadan axis of the Iwo border.
The stakeholders submitted that “unless drastic action is taken against criminal suspects who destroy lives and property in the areas under reference, there may be no light at the end of the tunnel.
“It has come to our notice that the current crisis in Ogburo is beyond boundary dispute. The activities of miners going on in the area are fuelling the crisis.
“What we discovered was that there were a lot of mining activities being orchestrated by some sections of Osun who were allegedly supported by prominent traditional rulers in the area.
“What has doused the tension for now is the visit by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police to the area and suspects arrested. However, many people have been injured since the beginning of the dispute, Ologburo installed by Olubadan has been sacked and could not come to town again.
“Recently, a grader belonging to Lagelu Local Government Area of this state was razed with fire, those perpetrating these dastardly acts are currently advancing towards Papa and Lagun. Schools and maternity centres built by Oyo have been hijacked and converted to Osun State property.
“The stakeholders have resolved to critically look into the matter and ensure that the issue is critically dealt with, particularly in the area of mining going on in the axis.”
They called on the State Government to come to the aid of the people of the area, adding that “we know the government has been doing well, but it still needs to do more.
“The meeting is a continuous one. We will still hold another meeting to monitor activities going on there to know the true picture of the crisis and alert people of its security implications.”
The meeting was attended by Eekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade, Ekerin Balogun, Akeem Adewoyin, Ekarun Balogun, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, President-General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes and Aare Atunluse of Ibadanland, Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole, Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor on Security Matters, CP Fatai Owoseni (retd) and AIG Sikiru Akande (retd).
Mogajis present were led by Mogaji Asimiyu Ariori while Baales present were led by Baale Isiaka Akinpelu and Aare-Ago Balogun of Ibadanland, Chief Adetokunbo Ibikunle.
