Land Dispute: Osun communities Resume 30-Year-old war

By Wale Adele

Mr Michael Alake EXCEPT Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s administration takes urgent and decisive steps to resolve the communal crisis between Omo-Ijesa and Erin-Ijesa – two neighbouring communities in Oriade Local Government area of Osun State – a recurring war similar to the one the nation witnessed between Ife and Modakeke may soon erupt. The two communities have been nursing the hostility for 33 years now, over land matters.

The land dispute, according to Saturday Tribune findings, has gone up to the Supreme Court. Even the outcome of the suit at the Supreme Court is equally a contentious issue, as the leaders of the two communities could not agree on what the apex court said.

While the people of Omo-Ijesa are claiming that the case was struck out and the court directed the communities to jointly make use of the 54.48 acres of land at the centre of the dispute, the Erin-Ijesa people are claiming that it was a landmark victory for them.

What is clear, however, is that shortly after the case ended at the apex court, the hostility resumed, with intermittent skirmishes between the two communities – even up till late last year. The hostility reached its crescendo penultimate Thursday when some thugs allegedly sponsored by the Erin-Ijesa community laid ambush for Omo-Ijesa people on their way to the farm and attacked them.

In the attack, which lasted for over one hour, during which dangerous weapons – including guns, charms and machetes – were freely used, six people, including a middle-aged woman identified as Iyabo Amao, were seriously injured.

Among the six people also was a teacher, one Mr. Opeyemi Odeyemi, who was on his way to his school but was suddenly caught up in the ‘war zone’. Opeyemi received several machete cuts on his head.

While Odeyemi and the four other males are still receiving treatment at different hospitals in Ijebu-Ijesa and Ilesa, Mrs. Amao has been returned home for traditional medical attention, as it was suspected that she might have been beaten with charm.

But a leader of the Erin Community, Chief Olu Akinjuku, denied that it was his people that first launched the attack. He insisted that the lady who was shot and macheted fired the first salvo with a gun she collected from a male fellow fighter from Omo-Ijesa.

The Police arrested some people at the heat of the crisis last week. Those arrested included one Chief Segun Agunbiade and Peter Awoseemi, who as at the time of filing this report were still in police cell in Osogbo. In spite of this, however, it seems the two warring communities are still not satisfied with the police’s handling of the matter.

In a chat with Saturday Tribune, the Orisa of Omo-Ijesa, Chief Ezekiel Oladimeji Ogundipe, alleged that the state police command did not act promptly, adding also that instead of the police to arrest the thugs that attacked his people, innocent people were being hunted.

The High Chief alleged also that the community had in January this year, through its lawyer, Leye Adepoju of Gashen Chambers, Ibadan, petitioned the state Commissioner of Police that Erin-Ijesa people were threatening to attack them, and that they had procured weapons to carry out their plan.

In the petition, a copy of which was made available to Saturday Tribune, the lawyer alleged that Erin-Ijesa community had completed plans to attack Omo-Ijesa and other settlements under it.

“Our client has further briefed us to the effect that the Erin-Ijesa community had hired thugs and acquired dangerous weapons in the bid to execute its aggressive intention. We have advised our client to let the rule of law prevail. In fact, the whole matter could have degenerated into a breakdown of law and order if not for the restraint of our client.

“However, human endurance has its limit, and this is the rationale behind our complaints,” the petition stated.

Despite the petition, however, no action was taken by the state police command. And to further demonstrate their preparedness to visit attacks on the Omo-Ijesa, the people of Erin-Ijesa, again, allegedly sent a handwritten threat letter to the community. The letter dated 4th February 2008 and written in Yoruba, told the community to get prepared for them at anytime.

But on his part, Chief Akinjuku said he was not aware of any such letter, saying that the Omo were the aggressor in the latest attack.

One of the inhabitants of Omo-Ijesa told Saturday Tribune, “The thugs came in a very large number – about 500 of them – and attacked us. We anticipated that they would come, but we never thought they could be so many, and with such weapons. The government needs to intervene in this matter quickly, because we cannot continue to live like this.”

Mrs Iyabo Amao Investigation by Saturday Tribune revealed that Osun State government may not have been completely silent over the crisis. Informed government sources hinted that the state governor had last year told traditional rulers in the area to work in conjunction with the local government and resolve the dispute.

Till last week, the traditional rulers were said to have made no headway in the matter, as Erin-Ijesa people never attended any meeting called over the matter.

Also, early this year, the state deputy governor, Erelu Olusola Obada, invited the leaders of the two communities to her office to mediate in the crisis; but the effort was also futile.

At the meeting, in which the Special Assistant to the deputy governor, Mr. Bewaji, represented her boss, the people of Erin-Ijesa were said to be absent.

As if uninterested in an amicable resolution of the crisis, seven high chiefs from Erin-Ijesa have raced to a Magistrate Court sitting in Ijebu-Ijesa to institute criminal charges against some 30 community leaders in Omo-Ijesa.

When the case came up last month, however, the presiding Chief Magistrate, Elder Obadare, advised the two communities to prepare for the settlement of the matter out of court, but directed that the two sides could go to their farms and conduct their activities in peaceful manner.

For now, anxiety has enveloped the entire Omo-Ijesa community, as they could not leave their families at home. Also, the police have ordered that the two communities should go to their farms for the time being.

Meanwhile police authorities in Osogbo have been inviting leaders from both sides for interrogation.

When contacted, a community leader from Erin-Ijesa, Chief Olu Akinjuku, confirmed that the trouble started over 30 years ago when Chief Ogundipe from Omo-Ijesa went to court, but lost from magistrate court through Supreme Court.

He noted that it was after the case was lost that the Oba from Omo-Ijesa appealed to Oba of Erin-Ijesa to allow his people farm on part of the land which was consented.

The community leader also stated that it was the people from Omo-Ijesa that have been frustrating peace moves, alleging also that the police authorities in the state had been supporting them.