Ekiti Summons Surveyors, Lawyers to Resolve 60-Year-old Land Crisis

Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti

In a desperate attempt to resolve the 60-year-old land tussle between Ado and Ilawe Ekiti, the Ekiti State government, yesterday summoned the lawyers and surveyors of the two feuding towns to shed light on how the matter will be tackled to avoid rancour and bad blood.

The government said the action became imperative following unraveling of documents that needed to be viewed with intellectual and mental expertise of these professionals representing the two disputing communities  and their counterparts in the public service.

The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, gave the directive  in Ado Ekiti,  yesterday while mediating in dispute.

The deputy governor, in a statement  frown on cases of assaults being experienced on the encumbered land, despite the stringent warning that nobody should trespass on the land until the matter is finally resolved.

“Available records show that this land dispute began in 1963, but we have to try and lay it to rest. Ado and Ilawe Ekiti are one and it is the love and unity that had existed between you that must be the guiding principle in this matter.

“We won’t wait until you start killing yourselves before taking actions. Governor Biodun Oyebanji is a promoter of peace and unity and nobody will be allowed to jeopardise his efforts in this regard.

“We are giving you an ultimatum of two weeks to bring your surveyors and lawyers to work with experts with the Ministry of Justice and  our Land Dispute Resolution Technical Committee to look at all the available documents.

“These experts will also guide us on all former documented agreements you had entered into since 1971 on that land to know the direction we are going to toe for speedy resolution of this crisis,” she said.

The  Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Ajibade Alabi, appreciated the government for being zealous in resolving  the crisis, claiming that  his town through the Ekiti South Local Government, had paid for a portion of that contentious area of the  land going by available documentation. 

The monarch, represented by Elemo of Oke -Emo, Chief Gbenga Agbona, promised to abide by the verdict passed by government, so that the matter can be resolved expeditiously.

The Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, represented by Akitipa of Odo Community, Chief Ademola Adepoju, applauded the government for being impartial in the resolution of the crisis.

Oba Adejugbe  pledged that his people would  abide by the government’s instruction and comply with all directives that would avert bloodshed or violence over the land tussle.