OGUN STATE RESIDENTS PROTEST ALLEGED LAND GRABBING BY TRADITIONAL RULER*

Residents of Ago-Iwoye, a town in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, have taken to the streets to protest against the alleged large-scale land grabbing by the Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye, Oba Abdulrasaq Adesina Adenuga. The protesters, mostly elderly farmers from five communities, claim that the monarch has taken over over 500 acres of their ancestral farmlands, allegedly under the guise of government acquisition.

The protesters, who marched along the palace road under police and DSS surveillance, demanded the removal of the monarch and threatened to seek legal action if the alleged activities continue. One of the protesters, a farmer, said, "The monarch intentionally took over my 10 hectares of land, which is my father's farmland. I borrowed money to cultivate cocoa, kola, and palm trees on this land. We want the state government to stop him from taking our land."

A professor from Tai Solarin University of Education, Adeniyi Adefela, called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to intervene, warning that residents would seek legal redress if the alleged activities continued. "We are protesting the land grabbing activities of Oba Abdulrasaq Adesina Adenuga. If the government fails to respond, we will head to court," he said.

The Acting Village Head of Lagan, Dr. Segun Onasote, accused the monarch of demanding land from Idode community and urged the governor to remove him. "The Ebumawe is a serial liar and land grabber. Governor Dapo Abiodun should remove him and he should leave our land. We have a lawyer, and we will head to court if he does not leave our land," he said.