The Aboro of Iboro in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Abayomi Salako, has told the Olu of Imasayi, Oba Luqmon Kuoye, that he is the landlord to the people of Imasayi.
This is as the Aboro, his chiefs and residents of the Iboro cautioned Oba Kuoye to stop trespassing on their lands.
The people of Iboro said Imasayi indigenes are their tenants, claiming that the present settlement occupied by Imasayi was given to them by their ancestors.
It was gathered that Imasayi residents, had in 2021 attacked Iboro traditionalists, who were in Imasayi to perform their annual rites on the land they said belonged to them.
A few days ago, the Olu of Imasayi was said to have addressed journalists at the Igan Okoto-Ayetoro road being constructed by the Ogun State Government in the area, claiming ownership.
But the Oba of Iboro, while addressing the press on Wednesday, said there is not supposed to be any land dispute between Iboro and Imasayi, adding that “the records are there for everybody to see unless you want to be partial.”
Describing himself as a peace-loving person, who would never condone violence, Oba Salako said, “the fact remains that the land in question is for Iboro.”
He stressed that, “Imasayi does not have a single plot of land on that road, so I'm wondering how could the road be named Imasayi-Ayetoro road?”
His words: “There have been series of violence between Iboro and Imasayi and I told their monarch that I will not condone violence; anybody that fights will be reprimanded and that is my own point. There is no reason for it (violence). The government is there to look into it.
“Let the government come into the matter, if we disagree, then we go to court. There is no need for fighting, I don't believe in that,” he said.
In his message to the Olu of Imasayi, the Aboro asked him to go back to the elders in his community before trespassing.
“My message to my brother, the Olu of Imasayi is that he should go back to his people, the elderly ones, let them tell you the truth before you start taking actions because the truth is there. If they have any single plot, let them come out with the proof, I will relinquish the land for them. I don't fight for whatever that doesn't belong to me, but he himself knows.
“He knows they don't have any land over there. For him to go on that land and address the press, it is wrong; even if he was going to do that, he was supposed to call me.”
Speaking, the Chairman of Iboro Central Working Committee, Mr Kolajo Owolabi, expressed surprises that the Olu of Imasayi could be laying claim to the road being constructed, saying, “Surprisingly, Imasayi has not even a single plot of land belonging to them historically.”
Owolabi maintained that the Iboro Public Health Clinic is situated by the then Egbado Divisional Council, directly opposite the road in question.
“The original boundary attesting to the fact that Imasayi people are customary tenants on Iboro land is between Iboro and Ibese at Iniya River along Abeokuta/ Ilaro road, about six kilometres away from the reconstructed Iboro/Ayetoro road,” he said.
Going down memory lane, Mr Owolabi said: “When the forebears of the present Imasayi people came to Iboro, our forebears accommodated them and gave them land.
“It is irrational, irritating and provocative to now lay claims to portions of land owned by your customary landlord and which of course was never allocated to any of your forebears.
“Our investigations revealed that one Engr. Deinde Falana, an indigene of Imasayi who worked in the Ogun State Ministry of Works perpetrated the act of change of name of the road in question to Imasayi/Ayetoro road, during the administration of Col. Akintonde.”
Calling for peaceful resolution, he appealed to the state government to wade into this boundary issue quickly and “resolve it with honesty and sincerity, devoid of any political manipulation.”
Contacted, the Olu of Imasayi said the road had been known to be Imasayi-Ayetoro road from time immemorial, adding that reporters from the state government usually visit him for comments on the level of work done.
“From time immemorial, it is crystal clear that that road is Imasayi-Igan Okoto-Ayetoro road. They have played a lot of politics, requesting that the name, Imasayi should be removed, but government said that's what is in the document in the state archive,” the Oba of Imasayi stated.
He added that there are documents in his palace on who owns the land.
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