Senator Jackson N. Adeleke
The Executive Governor of Osun State
Osun State Government Secretariat
Abere, Osogbo
Dear Senator Adeleke,
IFON OROLU ILOBU AND ERIN OSUN CONTINUAL BOUNDARY CRISIS
: URGENT REQUEST FOR A LASTING SOLUTION
We, the sons and daughters of Ifon Orolu in diaspora, have observed with great apprehension the incessant communal crisis between Ifon Orolu and Ilobu (and sometimes also between Erin Osun and Ilobu), the major cause of which is their common boundaries. While the crisis is not new, and while we acknowledge that several past governments and even court rulings have attempted to resolve the crisis, the fact remains that, to date, no permanent solution has been found. In the meantime, lives are being lost, economic activites are being disrupted, and developments are being stagnated.
The ordinary people of these communities live in fear, and their conditions remain increasingly impoverished, in addition to the well-known hardship currently in Nigeria. There is no doubt that the current status of this matter benefits no one whatsoever!
We find it expedient, therefore, to write directly to you, our Governor, and your government, to please urgently find a lasting solution to this never-ending crisis. Even if nothing else is achieved for our people during the current term of your office, providing a realistic solution that will stand the test of time would be a memorable legacy to your name and your government. We might be right in assuming that your government is assiduosly working on the issues, but we could also be wrong in the eyes of the ordinary people of these three communities who have nothing to justify such confidence. For them and us, only concrete actions by way of clearly defined boundary and signed agreements to abide by the referee’s decision would be satisfactory. Enough time has been wasted, too much property destruction has occurred, and too many lives have been lost over the past few years! The time to act, your excellency, is NOW!!
We are aware that, about a year ago, your government set up a peace committee made up of members of these communities. The committee was charged with maintaining the fragile peace and ensuring that the warring sides sheath their swords. We are also aware, however, that it did not take long before that committee stopped working, due to fundamental disagreements between its members. Similarly, your government instructed all concerned not to conduct economic and other activities in the areas under dispute. Yet, the reality is that many of the people living in these disputed zones are unable to access their economic produce such as colanuts, cashew, cocoa and others. Their livelihood hangs upon these produce. It did not take long before these people started sneaking into the same prohibited locations, the predictable consequence of which is fresh crisis being witnessed intermitently ever since. So, the current temporary solution is not working, and it can never be a permanent remedy. It is merely a bandaid on a festering sore, if we may use that analogy.
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We do not hold any magic wand to resolve this matter but we would like to profer the following suggestions for your urgent consideration:
1. That the government’s efforts at boundary determination be expeditiously completed and the outcome published and widely circulated for all to see.
2. That the government carefully study why past efforts at resolving these problems have failed and, therefore, do all that may be necessary to mitigage these past lacunae.
3. That a conference of well-meaning people of these communities be called to discuss and agree to the terms of the boundary determination. Such people should be selected representatives of their own communities, and without any opposing community having the power to veto who represents other communities.
4. That the current situation whereby villages and hamlets belonging to one community or another are straddled between local governments be reworked to ensure that such villages and hamlets are within the local governments where the ownership of the villages belong. In other words, if Ilobu villages are in Orolu local government, for example, such villages should be put under Irepodun Local Government. The same applies to Ifon villages that may currently lie within Irepodun Local Government. Such villages should be put under Orolu Local Government. This proposal will obviously require a local government boundary reallignement exercise, but it is something done all over the world for obvious reasons, and it will go a long way in eliminating confusion and potential boundary disputes.
5. That the original names of the villages and hamlets be restored, and without anyone being allowed to rename such places for whatever reason. Renaming is fraudulent and can potentially lead to future crisis.
6. That all villages and hamlets bear the appelate names of their original owners to serve as a permanent reminder and irrevocable tag of entitlement. For example, a village such as Ijona, would then be Ijona Ifon Osun, and such names would be recorded officially in all government documents both local, state and national. Future generations would benefit from such honest identification. This would be similar to the naming of most places under Ijesa domain, such as Ibokun Ijesa, Ipetu Ijesa and so on.
7. That the youths of these communities be sensitised towards modern living and economic development in such a way that the traditional focus on land ownership is redefined in their orientation and psyche. As part of that, regular educational, social, cultural and sport activities should be organized to bring the youth of these communities together in order to engender healthy collaboration and competitiveness between them.
8. Anyone found to be formenting trouble, making false allegations, or crying the wolf, should be prosecuted, with significant penalties metted out to such persons. This would be a potent deterrence, and to ensure that justice is seen to have been done in such circumstances.
We cannot sit and continue to watch the current deteriorating situation, as there is the likeliness of further escallation unless urgent steps are taken to resolve the crisis. We are aware that there are always boundary issues all over the world, but these issues are ultimately resolved, and warring parties are compelled to abide by the referee’s decisions. The same should apply in the current context. We stand by the historical fact that Ifon Orolu, Ilobu, and Erin Osun people are one, and they have lived alongside one another for centuries. Whatever the differences should be addressed effectively once and for all, for peace and progress to reign.
PLEASE, ACT NOW IN THE BEST INTEREST OF ALL.
Chief Professor James Oladejo​
(The Aare Atobase of Ifon Orolu Kingdom)​
Chairperson, Orolu in Diaspora
