Land Dispute: Bajowa Blasts Akeredolu, Says Gov.’s Ranting at Abodi’s Palace Indecent

Following the protracted land dispute between the people of Araromi Obu and their Ikale neighbours in Ondo State in the past couple of days, the Ikale people have accused Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of taking side on the issue.

A state high court had recently given judgement in favour of the Ikales as regards the land issue , which was said to have been appealed. But deadly confrontations between the two neighbours made the governor to place a 24-hour curfew on Ago- Alaye community.

The governor also in July visited the monarchs in the area where he was said to have talked down on the Ikale monarchs at the palace of Abodi of Ikale Land.

Addressing a press conference on behalf of the Ikales on Thursday in Akure, the state capital, Maj. Gen. Oluyemi Bajowa (rtd) said Governor Akeredolu’s utterances against monarchs from Ikale lacked decency and not expected from a number one citizen of a state.

He accused the state government of being partial, adding that the curfew imposed only on Ago-Alaye community has paralyzed the social and economic activities of the Ikale people.

“However, while the houses of Araromi-Obu settlers torched in Ago Alaye were located along the roadside, those of the Ikale people torched in Araromi-Obu and its environs were located away from the roadside and immediate public glare.

“This apparently gave the wrong impression that Ikale people were the aggressors and also probably informed the reaction of the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, who formed an opinion before his visit to the palace of His Royal Majesty Oba George Faduyile, the Abodi of Ikale Land.

“Co-incidentally, I was at the palace of Abodi of Ikale Land when the Ondo State Governor visited. I was shocked and horrified at the Governor’s public display and pronouncement of power, devoid of decency and protocol, by taking the Abodi of Ikale Land and other Ikale traditional rulers present, to the cleaners.

“He threatened to instruct the security services to level to the ground Ago Alaye and other Ikale villages in Araromi-Obu and its environs; he also threw caution to the wind, by boasting that he does not need Ikale votes for his re-election!

“At this point, I had to cut in with reverence and cautioned against any bias and indiscriminate arrest of Ikale people. I also advised the government to abide by the rule of law, whilst I implored the security services to confine their activities to the established/standard operational rule of engagement, noting that we are in a democratic dispensation.

“The Governor Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, then promised to set up a committee to investigate the Araromi-Obu/Ikale crisis. The Committee is yet to be put in place as at date!!

Ago Alaye has been placed under a 24 hours curfew since the 18th of July, 2019 making it impossible for Ikale people to go to their farms, trade their wares, take their children to school, visit their people or cater for the sick in the Health Centers, while Araromi-Obu settlers remained free, moving about and destroying Ikale properties, leading Police to break into Ikale houses, killing their animals, harassing and arresting the residents for no just reason.

“The Ikale people in the area are under seige of the Araromi-Obu settlers and the Police. These have devastated the lives and economy of Ikales people at Ago Alaye and Agirifon villages. Ago Alaye has now become a ghost town and a shadow of itself.

“As result of government’s partial actions, the Araromi-Obu settlers have been emboldened and have resorted to ordering all Ikale people to leave Araromi-Obu. Just as Araromi-Obu is home to many Ikale people, Obu settlers are also resident and are accommodated in almost all Ikale towns and villages. ”

Gen. Bajowa revealed that innocent people of Ikale people have been arrested and remanded in relation to the fracas.

“As at today, 15 Ikale persons including an 89 year old man have been arrested and all of them have been remanded in Prison custody. Incidentally, these are people who were not involved in the fracas, but were merely waiting for the Governor to give him information that could have led to a peaceful resolution of the crises.

“In spite of reporting the unprovoked attack and injuries sustained by Ikale people to the Commissioner of Police, the Police have neither investigated our petition nor ask about our injured. We were forced to lick our wounds,” he said.

According to him, the people of Ikale land are the true owners of the disputable land, disclosing that the Ajobu were settlers in Ikale land.

Bajowa advised the state government to urgently set up an independent committee of enquiry on immediate and remote causes  of the protracted land crisis between the communities.

His words: “In conclusion, we the Ikale people want to state unequivocally that the Ajobu and his chiefs were settlers in Ikale land after Ajobu attempted to wear a crown and escaped from Osemawe’s wrath into Ikaleland as a refugee, and finally settled at the current site of Araromi Obu as customary tenants of Ikale people by the Lisa Oladokun of Osooro. Hence, they adopted the new name “Araromi-Obu” (Araromi meaning: we are at ease at Obu)

“In view of the foregoing, we are requesting in the interest of fairness, equity and justice, that an independent administrative enquiry should be set up by the Government to look into the immediate and remote causes of the incessant crisis between Araromi-Obu settlers and the Ikale people.

“Odigbo Local Government should desist from sponsoring the hate campaign by Araromi-Obu settlers in the unlawful and unethical demand for the evacuation of the Ikale people from their ancestral lands; and debarring the Ikale people from performing their traditional and customary rights in the land of their heritage.

“Finally, the Rubber Estate Nigeria Limited (RENL), should be prevailed upon to stop treating our people as slaves on their land and give equal opportunities to Ikale people and indeed all citizens of Ondo State, in conformity with the recent court judgment and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”