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Ekiti govt urges monarchs to develop strategies to address rising land disputes in communities

By Victor Akinkuolie
Ado-Ekiti

The Ekiti State Government has called on traditional rulers across the 140 towns in the state to collaborate and form a united front to tackle the increasing cases of inter-community land disputes.

The government emphasized that with mutual understanding and unity among traditional leaders, some of the escalating boundary conflicts could be resolved before they lead to violence and bloodshed.

Deputy Governor Mrs. Monisade Afuye made this appeal in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday while mediating in a land dispute between Esure and Ilomu communities in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area.

The government intervened following petitions from both communities, each claiming ownership of a parcel of land located along their shared boundary.

During a meeting with community leaders, Mrs. Afuye, in a statement signed by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, urged the Elesure of Esure Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Ajibola, and the Olomu of Ilomu Ekiti, Oba Oluwadamilare Omobiire, to engage in constructive dialogue to resolve the prolonged dispute amicably.

Specifically, the Deputy Governor appealed to Oba Ajibola to allow Ilomu youths who had cut logs from the disputed land to retrieve them, stressing the need to prevent the conflict from disrupting livelihoods.

Mrs. Afuye also directed the Ekiti State Boundary Technical Committee to revisit the area, assess the disputed land, and establish clear boundaries to bring an enduring solution to the recurring crisis.

She dismissed suggestions to use the Awo-Esure-Ifaki Road as a boundary, explaining that the lands of both communities extend and interconnect beyond the highway, making such a solution impractical.

The Deputy Governor urged the monarchs to prioritize unity, emphasizing that the government’s policy of granting autonomy to new communities was aimed at fostering development, not division.

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“The issue of land should not divide us. Our forefathers prioritized love, unity, and togetherness over land ownership. Let this spirit guide you,” she said.

“You are interconnected through marriage and other ties. Fighting among yourselves is unnecessary. Perfect demarcations may be impossible, so we must embrace the spirit of compromise.”

Mrs. Afuye further noted that records showed some Esure indigenes had purchased parts of the disputed land from the Eleku family in Ilomu, reinforcing claims that the area historically belongs to Ilomu Ekiti.

The Olomu of Ilomu Ekiti, Oba Omobiire, maintained that the land in question had always belonged to his community. He explained that economic trees such as cocoa, kolanut, and plantain had been planted on the land for decades, proving ownership.

He urged the government to intervene decisively, as local efforts to resolve the dispute had failed. “We want peace and are committed to finding a peaceful resolution,” the monarch added.

Meanwhile, the Elesure of Esure Ekiti, Oba Ajibola, accused Ilomu residents of using military personnel to intimidate his people, a move he described as provocative and unacceptable.

He maintained that the land was only leased to an Ilomu indigene for farming, justifying his decision to stop the removal of trees cut by Ilomu residents for building purposes.

Both monarchs expressed their willingness to work with the government to find a lasting resolution to the conflict, as peace remains a shared priority for their communities.

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Ekiti govt urges monarchs to develop strategies to address rising land disputes in communities

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Ekiti govt urges monarchs to develop strategies to address rising land disputes in communities

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