Two traditional rulers in Yewa-North Local Government Area of Ogun State have exchanged words over boundary disputes.
The Aboro of Iboro in Oba Abayomi Sala, his leaders and residents of the community have accused the Olu Oba Luqmon Kuoye of Imasayi of abandoning the land that belonged to the Iboro community.
Addressing newsmen on Wednesday, Aboro of Iboro said the Imasayi indigenes are tenants, saying the current residence occupied by the Imasayi was given to them by their ancestors.
Our correspondent gathered that the residents of Imasayi in 2021 attacked Imasayi traditionalists who were in Imasayi to perform their annual rituals on land they claimed as theirs.
The Olu of Imasayi was reported to have inspected the Igan Okoto-Ayetoro road being constructed in the area by the Ogun State Government, claiming ownership.
But, Aboro blamed his Imasayi counterpart, saying the land in question belongs to the Iboro community.
Aboro said: “Imasayi does not have a single piece of land on that road, so I am wondering how the road could be called Imasayi-Ayetoro road.
“There has been a series of violence between Iboro and Imasayi and I told their monarchy that I will not accept violence; Anyone who fights back will be scolded and that’s my point. There is no reason (violence). The government is there to look into it.
“Let the government get involved, if we don’t agree, then we go to court. There’s no need to fight, I don’t believe in that.”
Also, Kolajo Owolabi, the chairman of the Iboro Central Labor Committee, expressed surprise that the Olu of Imasayi could claim the road under construction, saying, “Surprisingly, Imasayi does not historically own a single piece of land.”
Owolabi said the Iboro Public Health Clinic is located in the then Egbado Divisional Council opposite the road in question.
“The original boundary attesting that the Imasayi people are customary tenants of Iboro land is between Iboro and Ibese at Iniya River along the Abeokuta/ Ilaro road, about six kilometers from the reconstructed Iboro/Ayetoro road,” he said.
He appealed to the state government to quickly intervene in this border issue and “resolve it honestly and honestly without any political manipulation”.
When contacted, the Olu of Imasayi insisted that the road was known to be the Imasayi-Ayetoro road since ancient times.
“Since ancient times, it is clear that road is the Imasayi-Igan Okoto-Ayetoro road.
“They have played a lot of politics, asking that Imasayi’s name be removed, but the government has said that in the document in the state archive,” said Olu of Imasayi.
