Olumide Akanji
People of Makun community, Sagamu on Tuesday at the Governor's Office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, protested over the alleged land grabbing activities of Oniraniken of Iraniken, Sagamu, Oba Adewale Adeniji accusing the traditional ruler of using landgrabbers to forcefully take over about 4500 hectares of farmland belonging to 14 Makun communities.
Some of the communities where Oba Adewale Adeniji was said to have used landgrabbers to sack the people from their farmland are Okerala, Oko-Iwaju, Ipa, Idarika, Alawun, Simawa, Apena Seriki among others
The protesters were armed with placards, bearing various inscriptions such as "We need justice in Makun Kingdom" "Gov. Dapo Abiodun save us from land grabbers" "Makun people need peace in our community", "Oba Oniraniken leave us alone" among others.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon Afolabi Afuape who was accompanied by the Special Adviser to the governor on Land Matters, Mr Aina Salami said that their letter over the subject matter had been received and feedback will be given as soon as possible.
Hon Afuape urged members of the community not to take laws into their hands but to continue to give peace a chance assuring that the government will dispassionately look into the matter and ensure that justice was served.
The Commissioner said " now that you have brought this issue to the notice of the government, be rest assured that the government will do justice to it, I also implore you to maintain peace as you go back home because no meaningful development or progress could be achieved in a chaotic environment".
Speaking with journalists, the Spokesperson for Makun community, Alhaji Jamiu Alabi Olododo said the essence of the protest was to call on Gov Dapo Abiodun to prevail on Oniraniken, Oba Adewale Adeniji to desist from his allged landgrabbing activities in Makun communities.
Olododo said "for over a year now, the Oniraniken, Oba Adewale Adeniji had been using landgrabbers to terrorise our people and chase them away from their farms. We have reported him to Ogun State House of Assembly as well as the Akarigbo of Remo land but he has not his illegality.
"Even last week, eight landgrabbers working for the traditional ruler were arrested by the police from the Force headquarters, Abuja. We want the government to set up panel of enquiry to look at this issue and also caution Oba Adeniji to stop this crude means of acquiring what never belong to him".
The acting Secretary of the Ewusi-in-Council, Otunba kayode Howells said "this land in question has for decades been homestead for the Makun people but suddenly Oba Adewale Adeniji said he got judgement from somewhere whereas the inhabitants of those areas he said he got judgement were not even informed about any court case".
Otunba Howells urged the governor of the state, Prince Dapo Abiodun to step in and form an independent judicial comission to investigate the claims of Makun community and that of Oniraniken with a view to establishing the truth.
Meanwhile Oniraniken while speaking with our Correspondent has however denied being a landgrabber insisting that he is a recognised traditional ruler in the country and that the farmland under dispute belongs to his Osoedu family as declared by the judgements of two Ogun State High Courts sitting in Sagamu in 2018 and January 2020.
Oba Adewale Adeniji said "rather than inciting people and causing crisis where there is none, once a court of competent jurisdiction gave a judgement on a matter, I think the right thing is to either abide by such judgement or seek for redress in a higher court.
"That's what I expect those having interest over this family farmland should do and not to be heating up polity through unnecessary protest. I equally request that Gov Dapo Abiodun should set up Judicial panel of inquiry on this matter to get it resolved once and for all. The truth however remains that Makun people have no land whatsoever in all these communities".
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