The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, on Friday, warned land expansionists, land grabbers and other trespassers to leave forcefully acquired Ibadan land without further delay in their own interests.
He gave this warning during an emergency meeting of Obas, Mogajis and Baales in the boundary areas of Ibadan in Oyo State and Iwo in Osun State, respectively, held at the Olubadan Palace, Oke-Aremo in Ibadan.
Reacting to the ongoing boundary disputes between the two ancient cities, Oba Olakulehin declared that the Oba River had been the boundary from time immemorial.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Gbenga Ayoade, in Ibadan, the state capital, on Saturday, the monarch spoke through the Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Ajibade.
“The established fact that Ibadan people are lovers of peaceful co-existence and therefore accommodating should not be taken for granted or misinterpreted as cowardice. “Yiyo ekun bi t’ojo ko.”
He therefore admonished the Obas, Mogajis and Baales in the affected areas to protect their territorial integrity and ensure the ownership of land belonging to Ibadan is not compromised, adding that “Trespassers should be prepared to face the music.”
Olubadan further charged traditional title holders in Ibadan and Iwo boundary areas “to give maximum support to the Olubadan of Ibadanland as well as the State Government to ensure that the land forcefully and fraudulently taken over is reclaimed.”
Present at the meeting were Ekarun Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief (Senator) Sharafadeen Ali, Obas, Mogajis and Baales among others.
Tthe monarch recently warned compound heads, popularly known as Mogajis and village heads, also referred to as Baales, against land grabbings and insubordination to elders within their families.
He gave this warning on last Monday during the installation of nine compound and two village heads in his Palace at Oke-Aremo in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Gbenga Ayoade, on Tuesday in Ibadan, further warned them to ensure that peace reigns supreme in their domains as no meaningful development can be achieved without peace.