—Upholds Farmers’ Rights to Cultivate in Oluwa Forest Reserve
Ore, Ondo State – In a landmark decision today, the High Court of Ondo State, sitting in Ondo town, has firmly upheld the rights of farmers to cultivate their allocated lands in the Oluwa Forest Reserve, delivering a significant blow to eviction attempts by the Ondo State Government and SAO AGRO-ALLIED SERVICES LTD.
The case, identified as HOR/14/2023, was brought forth by Abayomi Rotimi Isinleye & Ors. against the Ondo State Government & Ors. The court granted an interlocutory injunction that restrains any forceful eviction of farmers or further destruction of farmlands within the reserve, particularly affecting key areas such as Temidire Adeleye, Itamerin, Ikawo, Ijoba, Ayeleso, Isero, and their sub-camps.
The ruling emphasises the critical importance of preserving vital economic trees, including cocoa, kola nut, and palm trees, which are essential to the farmers’ livelihoods.
Starnews NG reports that this decisive ruling counteracts a previous order from a Customary Court that had unjustly mandated the farmers’ eviction. The High Court’s action, presided over by Justice Aderemi Adegoroye, reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding the farmers’ rights amidst a backdrop of conflicting legal directives.
Notably, the ruling supersedes an earlier interim order obtained by the Ondo State Agricultural Economic Commission (OSAEC), which had sought to evict the farmers from the expansive 10,000-hectare reserve. The High Court’s decision highlights the ongoing struggle for farmers’ rights in the face of bureaucratic challenges.
Tope Temokun served as counsel to the claimants/applicants, while Abdul-Kabir O. Ajana, SAN, represented the Ondo State Government and SAO AGRO-ALLIED SERVICES LTD, who are defendants/respondents.
The matter has been adjourned to 26th May 2025 for further proceedings, as the farmers and their advocates celebrate this pivotal victory in their fight for justice.
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