There is palpable tension between two royal fathers of Komu – Oba Thomas Opoola Olaore; the Onibise of Ibise-Komu, and the Oniro of Ilesan-Komu- Oba Jonathan Gboyega Awujoola; both of Itesiwaju Local Government of Oyo state. The former is accusing the latter of illegally ceding the ancestral land belonging to the Ibise-Komu community to the Yoruba nation separatist group – -ILANA Omo -Oodua under the leadership of Prof Banji Akintoye for agricultural purposes.
Investigation by dejoymedia reporters revealed that the 25,000 hectares of land which is part of Ibise community’s large ancestral land bordering Republic of Benin was unilaterally allotted to the said group without the knowledge and consent of the rightful owners- the Ibise-Komu community, an action which according to the legal document obtained by this medium contravenes the extant land tenure law of Oyo state, as well as international laws and development rules of engagement between Republic of Benin and Nigeria.
Community leaders spoken to by this medium were all agreed on the need to maintaining the age-long peaceful co-existence between the two communities, and therefore lend their support to the monarch, while commending the action of Onibise to pursue legal options; resulting in the demand for the following reliefs from the encroaching royal father- Oniro of Ilesan-Komu-/ community:
* withdrawal of the allotted 25,000- hectares of land from the group;
*stop further trespass on the said parcel of land and others belonging to the Ibise-Komu community;
* restrain his subjects and agents from further trespass in order to prevent breakdown of law and order.
However, in the event of no-compliance with their demands the royal highness – the Onibise of Ibise-Komu on behalf his community has signed-on a legal firm to take all necessary actions in seeking remedies, which may not necessarily be limited to civil action, but also criminal action under the Land Grabber’s Law of Oyo state.
The appropriate local authority and security agencies have equally been notified through a copy of the said legal document to the Chairman, Itesiwaju Local Government, Otu, Oyo state.
