Communal Clash: Ilobu Withdraws From Conflict Resolution Committee, Writes Adeleke

The people of Ilobu have rejected the composition of the Resolution Committee as released by the Osun State Government via a statement on Tuesday by Hon. Kolapo Alimi, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment.

Alimi had on Tuesday announced the 14-man committee with Ilobu, Ifon-Osun and Erin-Osun given four slots each, while Okanla was given two slots.

The Community in a letter to Governor Ademola Adeleke by Olatoye Aminu, its lawyer, said the objection and withdrawal from the committee is premised on the representation given to Okanla family by the State government, declaring that Okanla family cannot be given a community status like Ilobu, Ifon-Osun and Erin-Osun.

Ilobu people also said the two slots given to Okanla family were given to an Ifon-Osun person and a man from Oyo State, who have never at any time lived or associated with Okanla family compound.

The letter partly read, “Again, we hereby, on behalf of our Client, raise a serious objection to the inclusion and/or participation of the nominees of Okanla family in the Community Peace Resolution Committee. Our Client’s objection is predicated on the following reasons, amongst others:

“Azeez Bashir Abimbade, Okanla family’s 1st nominee in the list of the 14-man Community Peace Resolution Committee, has not, whether presently or in the past, associated himself with Okanla Compound, Ilobu; but rather he claims to be an indigene of Ifon-Osun and was once elected and served as a councillor in Orolu Local Government Council, Ifon-Osun and the said Azeez Bashir Abimbade is the current Local Government Party Chairman for the Peoples Democratic Party (P.D.P), Orolu Local Government Chaper, Ifon-Osun,

“Similarly, Chief Taofik Lawal Arulogun, Okanla family’s 2nd nominees in the list of the 14-man Community Peace Resolution Committee, is known to be a member of Arulogun family of Arulogun Village, Ibadan, Oyo State and has equally never claimed to be an indigene of Okanla Compound, Ilobu.”

The community said Okanla family had in the past dragged the Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Asiru Olatoye Olaniyan and the people of Ilobu to court but lost the case up till Appeal Court while attempt to reopen it at the supreme court was thwarted.

“Through the instigation by and open support of Olufon of Ifon-Osun and people of Ifon-Osun, Okanla family, then represented by one Jimoh Adigun and another person, instituted a case (Suit No. HOS/22/86 – Jimoh Adigun & another vs. Oba Ashiru Olaniyan II & others) in respect of a parcel of land within Ilobu community against Olobu of Ilobu, H.R.M. Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan II (J.P.) and the people of Ilobu in the High Court of Justice of Osun State at Osogbo. In the said case (Suit No:HOS/22/86), Okanla family members traced the root of their tittle to Olufon of Ifon-Osun BUT their claims were dismissed or rejected by the High Court and the dismissal was affirmed by the Court of Appeal, Ibadan in Appeal No. CA/I/153/98 – Amusa Akanni (for and on behalf of Okanla family) vs. Oba Ashiru Olaniyan (Onilobu of Ilobu).

“The judgments in the said Suit No:HOS/22/86 delivered on 18 – 10 – 1991 and in the Appeal No. CA/I/153/98 delivered on 7 – 7 – 2005 are hereby attached as Annextures B and C respectively to this letter.The members of Okanla family attempted to appeal to the Supreme Court against the judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on 7 – 7 – 2005 but the Supreme Court, on 17 – 4 – 2018 sruck-out their motion filed for the extension of time to appeal.. A copy of the Supreme Court Ruling delivered on 17 – 4 – 2018 in Suit No. SC.94/2015 is hereby attached as Annexture D to this letter.”

The Ilobu people also revealed that they have at a meeting with the Governor last week informed him of the danger of giving a community status to Okanla family, adding that a letter had been submitted to him before the community was announced.

“Consequent to the above, therefore, our Client hereby gives notice to your Excellency of the withdrawal of Ilobu representatives from inauguration of the Community Peace Resolution Committee scheduled for 9 – 2 – 2024 & subsequent proceedings of the Committee BUT assure your Excellency of our Client’s readiness to step down their objection and resume participation in the Committee proceedings if the inclusion of the representatives of Okanla family in the Community Peace Resolution Committee is reversed.

“The inclusion, if condoned by our Client and the State Government, will open the floodgates for other families in Ilobu and for members of Okanla family in Suit No:HOS/22/86 and Appeal No. CA/I/153/98 to resume trespass on Ilobu land the claims in respect of which had been dismissed in the judgments in Suit No: HOS/22/86 and Appeal Court No. CA/I/153/98.”
The letter concluded.