By: Sunday Ameh
Protesting farmers and residents from several communities in Ondo East Local Government Area of Ondo State have appealed to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to urgently intervene in a persistent land crisis allegedly caused by the activities of suspected land grabbers in their area.
The protesters, who converged on the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Akure, the state capital, on Thursday, carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Killer Gang! Land Grabbers Are Criminals, Not Kings,” “Our Able Governor, Curb Tenants/Land Grabbers’ Excesses,” and “Rented Crowd Can’t Undo Family Inheritance With Verified Court Judgments.”
According to them, the illegal seizure of farmlands by some individuals had resulted in fear, violence, and economic hardship for local farmers whose main source of livelihood depends on agricultural activities.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Mr. Idowu Akinmoladun explained that several court rulings had already confirmed the ownership of the disputed land in favour of the Ajisafe family, yet some powerful individuals continued to encroach on the property with alleged political backing.
Akinmoladun particularly accused a former federal lawmaker from the area, Hon. Joseph Akinlaja, of allegedly sponsoring the land grabbers to intimidate and dispossess rightful landowners.
“We are here to appeal to Governor Aiyedatiwa to look into this matter urgently. The Ajisafe family has four different court judgments in their favour. We are not land grabbers, as falsely alleged. We only want justice and protection for our land and people,” Akinmoladun stated.
He added that the family had suffered defamation and physical threats from those claiming ownership of the land despite clear legal verdicts supporting their case.
Another protester, Mr. Ademola Ajibade, reiterated the call for the governor’s intervention, describing claims that Mr. Ojo Ajisafe—one of the family members—was a land grabber as false and malicious.
Ajibade further alleged that some self-acclaimed traditional rulers in the affected communities, including the Olu of Igba, Oba Sina Olayele, and the Olu of Uloko Agboden, Moses Awonusi Apalara, had contributed to the crisis and were recently arrested by police following violent attacks on a farmer.
He backed his claims with a letter from the Ondo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, dated June 27, 2023, and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Bolani Obideyi, which warned against the unauthorized installation of traditional chiefs in the area.
The letter, addressed to the Chairman of Ondo East Local Government, reaffirmed the government’s directive that the Yangede of Epe should stop any further appointment or installation of minor chiefs to avoid a breakdown of peace in the communities.
Meanwhile, the protesters presented Chief Olu Faloye, the Baale of Agbondin Community, as the legitimate traditional leader of the area, with a certificate of appointment reportedly issued by the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, the paramount ruler of Ondo.
They called on the state government to act swiftly to restore peace, enforce existing court rulings, and protect farmers from what they described as “systematic land theft” by influential individuals.
“We are peaceful citizens and law-abiding farmers,” the protesters declared. “All we are asking is for the governor to help us reclaim our rights and secure our farmland.”
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