Ago-Iwoye Residents Protest Alleged Land Grabbing by Oba Ebumawe, Demand Removal and Threaten Legal Action
Emmanuel Femi Adedayo 
The Residents of at least five communities in Ago-Iwoye, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, haven taken to the streets to protest what they described as large-scale landgrabbing by the Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye, Oba Abdulrasaq Adesina Adenuga.
According to the Sahara reporter, It was learnt that the protesters, mostly elderly farmers from Isamuro, Imosun, Igan, Awori and Idode communities, marched along the palace road under the watch of operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS).
They alleged that the monarch had taken over more than 500 acres of their ancestral farmlands under the guise of government acquisition.
Some of the placards displayed during the protest read: “Stop threatening us with Juju, DSS and thugs”; “We are tired of Ebumawe land grabbing activities”; “Stop land grabs of our land, our lives!” and “OBA Rasak has turned Ago-Iwoye to slave camp.”
The residents accused the traditional ruler of dispossessing them of farmlands used for cultivating cocoa, rubber, palm trees and kola, which they said form the backbone of their livelihoods, especially at old age.
They also claimed that some affected farmers had suffered serious health challenges after learning that their lands had allegedly been sold.
Speaking during the protest, the Baale of Isamuro, Tirimisiyu Ogunkoya, said Oba Adenuga had repeatedly encroached on farmlands across the affected communities, destroying crops before selling the land to buyers.
He said, “We are here protesting against the Ebumawe of Ago-Iwe who have encroach into over 500 acres of land belonging to five towns in Ago-Iwoye to sell them. So that is why people from these towns like Isamuro, Imposing, igan, Awori, Idode are protesting because he had sold some portion of the land and he is planning to sell more.
“He will be telling lies that the government want to use the land for airport, planning rubber and taking Michelin to Ago-Iwoye to manufacture tyre for us.”
Ogunkoya added that the communities had approached government authorities without success.
“We know he is telling lies because we have gone to the government and government did not owned up that they wanted our land. If the government want the land it is the agent of the government that will come to the land owners and negotiate before it is sold off. We have written several letters to government, to DSS, to police and no response and that is why are saying enough is enough. And we don’t want him as our king again,” he said.
Another protester, Mr. Emmanuel Olukayode, alleged that the monarch encroached on his father’s 10 hectares of farmland, where cocoa, kola and palm trees were planted with borrowed funds.
He said, “We are tired of our traditional ruler, the Ebumawe of Ago-Iwe who intentionally went into my 10 hectares of land which is my father’s farm land. I plant cocoa, kola, palm tree. I borrowed money from somebody to cultivate on this land. We want the state government to stop him from going to our land.”
A professor from the Tai Solarin University of Education, Adeniyi Adefela, called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to intervene, warning that the residents would seek legal redress if the alleged activities continued.
He said, “We are protesting the land grabbing activities of Oba Abdulrasaq Adesina Adenuga, the Ebumawe of Ago-Iwe. For Sure nobody will watch his land grabbed and keep quiet at least by now he should be have been summoned by the government to questions him on his land grabbing activities and stop. Some some of my colleagues in Isamuro acll already in court already. I will employ my fellow protester to also head to court if the government fails to respond.”
Also speaking, 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.
He said, “The Ebumawe came to our village in Idode saying that the Baale of that village should see him in the palace askin hi to give up some portion of the land because he had sought permission on the land. He is a serial liar and land grabber, Governor Dapo Abiodun Should remove him and he should leave our land. We have a lawyer, we will head to court if he does not leave our land.”
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Ademola Busayo 
Ayo Marvel 
