Residents of Oba-Ayegbami village, popularly called Abule-Oba in the Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, have raised the alarm over an alleged plot by a traditional ruler to grab their village.
The residents who are from the family of the late Balogun Sanni Fadeyi accused the Olu of Siun, Oba Lawrence Odeyinka, of masterminding the move to annex their village.
The residents who staged a peaceful protest over the alleged move to annex their village maintained that Ayegbami village, otherwise known as Abule-Oba, was not located on Igbore land.
The protesters presented a petition to the Chairman of Obafemi-Owode Local Government, Sina Ogunsola, over the alleged plan.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the spokesperson, Kashimawo Ogubayo, said their forebears who were from Oba and Imo Community sections of Egbaland are the rightful owners of the land.
He said, “Our forefathers from Oba and Imo sections of Egbaland are the rightful owners of the land.
“They have settled in the area for over two centuries before recently when a group of people claimed ownership of the land.
“We appeal to the Chairman of Obafemi Owode Local Government and the state government to intervene to avoid breakdown of law and order in the council area”.
In his reaction, the Olu of Siun faulted the claim, saying, “they are chasing shadows.”
The traditional ruler insisted that the land belongs to the Igbores, adding that both parties are claiming the land due to the Corporate Social responsibility of the company of its host community.
He said, “Nobody is annexing any land. The land has been allotted to a company and the family land owners have been paid.
“I contend that the land of the subject matter belongs to Igbore Township and not Imo Township which is laying claim to it.
“We are both laying claim to the land because of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the company to its host community.
“How can I annex land that has been sold? They are chasing shadows.”
The Chairman of the council could not be reached as of the time of filing this report. Calls made to his phone were not going through.