• Area’s traditional rulers kick, take case to Governor Aiyedatiwa
• Royal fathers caution Ogun Waterside LG against encroachment of Irokun community

Ilaje traditional rulers, yesterday met with the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa in his Alagbaka office, Akure and presented him a white paper for the total rejection of the inclusion of any part of Ilaje land in the proposed Ijebu State by the Federal Government.

The traditional rulers also charged Ondo State people to remain steadfast with Governor Aiyedatiwa as he strives to deliver on his promise of improving the living conditions of the people in the state.

The monarchs, in a release and communique jointly signed by His Imperial Majesty Oba (Dr.) Segun Williams Akinyomi, the Amapetu of Mahin, Chairman Ilaje Council of Obas and His Royal Majesty, Oba Obafemi Ogbaro, the Odoka of Obe-Ogbaro Secretary Ilaje Council of Obas, made available to journalists in Akure, kicked against including Ilaje communities among those that will form proposed Ijebu state.

Traditional rulers and some other prominent stakeholders from Ilaje Local Government, who were present at the meeting held with Mr. Governor in his Alagbaka office are His Imperial Majesty, Oba Dr. Segun Williams Akinyomi, the Amapetu of Mahinland; His Imperial Majesty, Oba Raphael Ilesanmi Ikuemonisan Mafo, The Maporure of Agerige, Aheri; His Royal Majesty, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, the Olu of Igbokoda; His Royal Majesty, Oba Obafemi Ogbaro, the Odoka of Obe-Ogbaro; His Royal Majesty, Oba Dr. Samuel O. Adeoye Edema, the Molokun of Atijere; His Royal Majesty, Oba Kalejaiye Rotimi Williams, the Monehin of Obinehin; His Royal Majesty, Oba Adeoloye Olawole, the Alara of Araromi-Seaside; His Royal Majesty, Oba Kolawole Arowojolu, the Osowa of Ugboroko; His Royal Majesty, Oba Prof. Aderibigbe Olomola, the Arapanata of Itebu Kunmi; His Royal Majesty, Oba Oyetayo Ofoaye, the Alaboto of Aboto; His Royal Majesty Oba Olatunji Fayemi, the Onitedo of Mahintedo; Mr. Oluyemi Ogunyomi, former Clerk of the National Assembly and Sir Benson Obayelu, member Governing Council, OAUTECH, Okitipupa.

The monarchs said, “our visitation to Governor Aiyedatiwa was to present him the communique of the meeting of all the Ilaje traditional rulers, held on 7th February, 2025, calling on the Ondo State and Federal Governments to ensure the security of our people and advise misguided officials including security agencies making false territorial claims for Ogun State to desist from
creating unwarranted crises in the area.”

The communique issued during the meeting and submitted to the Governor during the monarchs’ visitation yesterday, has the following details;

A Special Meeting of Obas of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State held today, the 7th day of February 2025 at Igbokoda the headquarters of the Local Government at which we noted and resolved as follows:

1.The Meeting reiterated that
Ilaje land and Local Government abut the Atlantic and constitute the entire coastline of Ondo State stretching from and including the communities of Elefon, Aba JK, Igbosere, Olosunmeta, immediate north of which along the Alape lagoon includes Irokun, Igbo-Edun, Eba Island, Awodikora (boundary with Ogun State) and in the Atijere area (the headquarter of the former Ilaje District Council) 6 miles west of Atijere which point is the tribal boundary of Ilaje and Ijebu with the natural feature of the Ilaje white sand and the Ijebu red soil by Ofara River at Efire, including Itebu Elero and Aiyetumara.
This western boundary extends inexorably eastwards along the coast through the Obe District to the Imoluma villages to Oghoye (Benin River boundary with Itsekiri Warri
thence north-easterly to the junction of Okitimokoro and Adabrassa creeks

2.Meeting recalled that at the beginning of British colonial administration, this defined territory was made part of the Lagos Colony by the Instrument of the Legislative Council, Colony of Lagos, dated 12th November 1895 and further accentuated by the visit to Ilaje-land by Sir Macgregor Governor of Lagos as contained in his despatch dated 23rd June 1903 to The Rt. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, Secretary of State for the Colonies. This part of Lagos Colony became part of Ondo Province 1914 and Ondo State in 1976.

3.Meeting noted that the eastern boundary of Ilaje as part of the Ondo/Delta boundary dispute contained in the report submitted in 2002 by DJ Freeman consultants to the Obasanjo administration which initiated it through the National Boundary Commission.

4.Meeting noted that the disputes in the Ondo/ Ogun boundary occasioned by subsequent instruments inconsistent with knownIlaje/Ijebu tribal boundaries, particularly in the Ilaje Local Government (Ondo State) and the Ogun Waterside Local Government (Ogun State)
sector, led to a joint meeting of officials of the two states, National
Boundary Commission (NBC), the Surveyor General of the Federation at Abeokuta on Friday 21st October 2016, in conjunction with all stakeholders, which involved the Boundary Commissions of both states, officials of the two affected Local Governments aforesaid, Obas and other leaders of thought of the communities wherewith it was decided that the boundary be resolved by ethnographic surveys of the affected areas by the NBC.

5.In the meantime and pending the report it was agreed by all
stakeholders, including the House of Representatives Committee on
Public Petitions and the NBC, that the two states and affected communities maintain the status quo particularly in the Atijere/Makun area at the village of Liyewu, where roads constructed respectively by both Ogun and Ondo States meet.

6.Meeting was briefed of the unwarranted crises being perpetrated by officials of the Ogun Waterside Local Government and Ogun State at
Irokun which is an ancient Ilaje town and kingdom and outside the
boundary with Ogun State with all its Oba (Olurokun) being appointed
under Ilaje and Ondo authority.

7.Attempts to extend Ijebu or Ogun State authority to Irokun have been rejected by Irokun Obas and even Ijebu officials from British colonial times as attested to by the District Officer Ijebu-Ode in his letter N0.71/1920 of 9th July 1920, to his Ondo Division counterpart that “neither Irokun nor the village of Obi were in Ijebu country”.

8.Olurokun Oba Joga Adejipe, pursuant to the enactment of the
Native Authorities Ordinance of 1924, in his letter through the Maporure of Ihapen Agerige-Ilaje dated 8th October 1937 to the District Officer on Tour Mahin, restated his Ilaje ancestry and insisted that his kingdom remained part of the Ilaje District.

9.The situation was the same during the reign of Olurokun Oba Beniah O Omosehin when, following the request of the Chieftaincy Department in a letter ref. N0. CHM7/4/24dated 24th May 1982, signed by S.O Abiodun for the Secretary to the Ogun State Government to the Secretary Ijebu Traditional Council which at its Meeting held at the Conference Room of Ijebu-Ode Local Government Itoro, Ijebu-Ode on Friday 22nd October 1982 admitted that “available records did not show that Oba Olurokun of
Irokun was at any time a member of the Ijebu Traditional Council”.

10.Meeting noted the recent antics of some Ogun State officials in Irokun, particularly since the demise of Olurokun Oba Olowoniyi Abejoye whose daughter, Princess Adeyinka Abejoye-Ogunyemi, has since been appointed Regent and advised those fanning crises to check themselves and remember the age-long peaceful co- existence among our peoples.

11.Meeting also received reports of some hired armed hoodlums who
invaded the Ilaje community of Eba burning properties and claiming to
be working for the Ogun State Government, aided by some members of security agencies.

12.Meeting noted that Eba including Eba Island which host one the OndomState Forest Reserves acquired by the colonial administration as part of Ilaje District is not on the boundary with Ogun. Meeting also recalled that the Ondo State Government between 2014 and 2015, following reports by the people through Oba Molokun of Atijere initiated extensive investigation of reported mineral deposits on Eba Island including at Ago Alaja and the adjoining Ilaje communities.

13.Meeting called on the Ondo State and Federal Government to ensure the security of our people and advise misguided officials including security agencies making false territorial claims for Ogun State to desist from creating unwarranted crises in the area.

14.Meeting was informed and took cognisance of agitations by different peoples and groups of Nigeria for creation of states with proposals to that effect submitted by members and published by concerned Committees of the National Assembly as reported in the media one of which is the proposed IJEBU STATE which published component parts strangely feature names of Ilaje communities.

15.Meeting resolved without prejudice to the interests of those who feel concerned, but for the avoidance of any doubt, that Ilaje people REJECT the inclusion of any part of Ilaje land in the proposed IJEBU STATE or any other state in the east and west of Ilaje land as hereinabove defined. Ilaje shall remain one and indivisible entity with no part thereof excised except by creation of more Local Governments or administrative units therefrom, within the same state, to which we may clearly and unambiguously subscribe, if need be, in the fullness of time.

16.Meeting affirmed our avowed commitment to the maintenance, defence and promotion of Ilaje unity, territory and culture as an integral part of the Federation of Nigeria and urge persons of Ilaje origin or descent to remain vigilant and shun all forms of inducement that may compromise our inherited territorial integrity.

17.The monarchs asked Ondo state government and relevant security agencies to provide adequate security for Atijere community in Ondo State and its environs, noting that Maseyin village – an ancient Ilaje village under Atijere in Ondo State after Liyewu village was allegedly invaded on 27th January by Makun Omi people in Ogun State led by the CDC Chairman who were reportedly armed with guns and other dangerous weapons chased away the villagers, confiscated motor saw machines, burned down the entire village.