Members of the Ifon-Orolu community in Orolu local government area of Osun state have called on President Bola Tinubu to warn General Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff, against instigating racial unrest in the state.
The demonstrators make their way from the regent’s palace to Olufon’s palace while holding signs that read, “Lagbaja don’t incite communal crisis in Orolu/Irepodun,” “Tinubu call CAS to order,” and “We are in a Democracy not Military Dictator.”
The Regent, Chief Babatunde Oyetunji, who also serves as the Eesa of Ifon, spoke to reporters in front of the palace and stated that while the community is not opposed to development initiatives, it would not allow its property to be stolen forcibly in order to benefit a nearby community.
“Our attention has been attracted to the visitation of some Federal Government representatives who were hosted at the palace of His Royal Highness Oba Ashiru Olaniyan, The Olobu of Ilobu in Irepodun Local Government Area, Ilobu, Osun State, by unnamed high officers of the Nigerian Army. The same senior military officials were seen travelling in a convoy via Opapa Village in the Gbere Odofin neighbourhood of Orolu Local Government as well as some of Eleesi’s family land in Orolu Local Government, Ifon-Osun, according to our witnesses there.
Unfortunately, it was reported that neither the chairman of the Orolu Local Government nor the Olufon Regent received a courtesy call from the caravan. It is rare and improper to explore the Ifon-Orolu Kingdom’s ancestral lands without prior approval or paying a courteous homage call to the necessary authorities, therefore this failing is noteworthy. Additionally, we’ve now learned that the visit’s covert goal was to evaluate a potential site for a military structure (such as a hospital or educational facility).
“We are perfectly aware that General Taoreed, the new Chief of Army Staff, is a native of Ilobu, which is a local government in Osun State’s Irepodun region. Although the residents of Orolu Local Government are not against any development in the Irepodun & Orolu Local Government regions, any project involving development must be done in conjunction with the pertinent parties, especially those whose land would be utilised to house the projects.
“We are using this medium to warn against any military attempt to incite a racial conflict in the Kingdoms of Irepodun and Orolu. We further demand an urgent explanation and explanations from the Chief of Army Staff’s office or any other pertinent Federal authority regarding the military delegate’s travel to Orolu land without informing or consulting with the stakeholders”.
General Lagbaja should be held accountable, according to Prince Jide Akinyooye, the Board of Trustees Secretary of the Ifon-Orolu Progressive Union, if a communal conflict breaks out between Ilobu in the state’s Irepodun local government and Ifon-Orolu in the Orolu local government.
“We believe it is appropriate to start this demonstration and speak to the media about the progress made by the military hierarchy in cooperation with the Ilobu community before things got out of hand and turned into a full-blown communal conflict. We are not opposed to any type of development initiative, but before anything is done on our ancestral property, we must be included, and agreements must be agreed upon. Any other course of action would result in a crisis, and the Chief of Army Staff should be held responsible, he continued.
