19 Ilaje oil-rich communities raise alarm over alleged Delta incursion
…Appeal to Ondo, Delta govts over land dispute
By Dayo Johnson, Akure
Leaders and residents of 19 coastal and oil-rich communities in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have raised the alarm over an alleged invasion of their ancestral land by armed persons from neighbouring communities in Delta State.
The communities, all located in Ugbo Kingdom, appealed to the Ondo State Government to urgently engage its Delta State counterpart to resolve the dispute before it escalates.
They warned that continued alleged incursions could provoke retaliation by youths in the affected communities.
Their spokesperson, Busayo Julius Ebiniyi, said the development had created tension and threatened the peaceful relationship that had existed between Ilaje and Itsekiri communities for generations.
The affected communities are Odun Ebiwon, Odun Makin, Ilu Titun, Odun Odunjo, Odun Maha, Eke Nla, Eke Kekere, Ubajakere, Eke Itiola, Odun Okoro, Odun Yonren, Odun Beku, Odun Ogungbeje, Odun Oyinbo, Odun Oriretan, Ubale Kekere, Ubale Nla, Ikuyinminu and Odun Igo.
Ebiniyi said the Ilaje people had chosen the path of peace despite what he described as attempts to threaten their territorial integrity.
He noted that Ilaje and Itsekiri communities had maintained cordial relations for decades through intermarriages, cultural similarities and social interactions.
“The peaceful coexistence should not be interpreted as abandonment of our ancestral claim to the land, known as Odun Ebiwonjumi, which was handed down to us by our forefathers,” he said.
According to him, the communities have historical and political records to support their claim, citing development projects executed by the Ondo State Government as further evidence.
“We have the OSOPADEC projects here, the school built by former Governor Olusegun Agagu and the walkway built by former Governor Olusegun Mimiko.
“There has not been any time the Delta State Government intervened in matters concerning Ebiwonjumi community,” Ebiniyi said.
He alleged that the latest tension could be linked to the economic importance of the area, particularly its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and offshore oil activities.
“The discovery and presence of crude oil have made the land economically attractive. But economic interests should not be allowed to destroy the relationship between neighbouring communities,” he said.
Ebiniyi appealed to the governments of Ondo and Delta states to initiate government-to-government engagement and bring elders from both Ilaje and Itsekiri communities to the negotiating table.
“We are a peace-loving people. We want to invest more in peace than in crisis. Both sides will bleed if this degenerates into a full-scale crisis. Let them sheath their spears and let us go to the round table,” he said.
He, however, warned that the community would resist any attempt to take over its land.
“Our youths do not like war, but they prepare for one. We are not cowards and we are not a conquered people. No race around us has conquered us before. They should stay away from our land,” he said.
Also speaking, an indigene of the community, Olumide John Ebiwonjumi, said the area had existed for more than 200 years and was part of Ugbo Kingdom in Ilaje Local Government Area.
“This community is not Delta State. It is Ondo State. Since I was born, all projects here have been Ondo State projects. We have never bowed to any Itsekiri people and we will never allow them to take over our community,” he said.
The leader of Ebiwon Community, Orimisan Ebiwonjumi, also called for government intervention, alleging that people from Delta State recently entered the community by boat.
He further appealed to the Ondo State Government to provide basic amenities, including potable water, decent housing, solar power, telecommunications network and healthcare services, in the area.
The post 19 Ilaje oil-rich communities raise alarm over alleged Delta incursion appeared first on Vanguard News.