Allegations of illegal encroachment, land grabbing and farm destruction have heightened tension in Wagadi Temidire Area, Zone 4, Ife South LG, Ifetedo, Osun State, where 88 cocoa farmers have accused some traditional leaders of intimidation.
The farmers made the allegation during a press conference on Friday organised by the affected cocoa farmers in the 30 Square Miles agricultural area
Speaking as their representative, Mr Ibrahim Oladipupo, a native of Oke-Igbo from the Ologbenla family, Ile-Ife, claimed that their farmlands, known as the “30 Mile Square,” originally allocated to them in 1999 by the former Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, were shared among four communities, Ifetedo, Okegbo, Ifewara and Ile-Ife.
According to him, the late monarch had established a committee to oversee the management of the farmland and collect a development levy from farmers operating within the area.
He noted that the farm became a source of dispute following what they described as unlawful interference by certain individuals seeking financial gains and authority over the land.
Oladipupo stated that the situation allegedly changed in 2023 when the monarch of Ologudu Village, Oba Jimoh Ajayi, became the chairman of the committee overseeing the land.
“We were only paying a sum of N5,000 as development fee some years ago, but after the demise of the Ooni, we were forced to start paying a sum of N10,000 by the Ologudu of Ogudu, Oba Jimoh Ajayi, who assumed office as the chairman of the committee of the Ife Forest Federal Governing Council.
“It was Oba Jimoh who increased the general development levy from N10,000 to N20,000. However, currently, he has moved the levy to N20,000 per acre,” he said.
He further alleged that in addition to the increase, Oba Ajayi also ordered that cocoa farmers from Okegbo, Ifewara and Ifetedo, excluding Ile-Ife, should begin to pay royalty to Ile-Ife, claiming that the three communities are not original Ife descendants.
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Oladipupo also alleged that the situation escalated in January when some hoodlums led by a traditional ruler stormed the farms on motorcycles, allegedly chasing farmers away and warning them not to return to their farms until they pay the demanded royalty.
He further alleged that as a result of their refusal to yield, incessant illegal encroachment into the farming area became rampant, with cocoa belonging to some farmers forcefully taken, including 10 stones worth N2.8 million from Mr Bamitale Fafunmi and 300kg worth N4.8 million from Mrs Elizabeth Adesuyi, among others.
He listed some farmers who were also present at the meeting, including Sujo Makinde, who lost one of his eyes in the incident; Bamitale Fafunmi, whose arm was maimed; Kinyo Makinde; Dayo Adedigba; Olafare; and Ogungbemi Sunday, among others, as those currently battling health complications such as hypertension as a result of repeated attacks, threats to life and prolonged conflicts.
Countless times, he alleged, these farmers were forced to flee their farms during the incidents, with some of their farming tools confiscated.
According to him, though several petitions had been written by the farmers to the police, including the Zone 11 Command, to allow the arm of the law to take its full course, the issue is yet to be addressed.
Also speaking at the conference were farmers who had experienced attacks on their farms.
They emphasised that the refusal to comply with the payment of royalty directives further heightened tension in Wagadi cocoa farms, as thugs had not ceased invading the farming areas, assaulting them, confiscating their farming tools and harvesting cocoa.
They added that the farms had been laced with palm fronds, forbidding them from gaining access, with threats to kill whoever dare to flout the order.
When contacted, the Ologudu of Ogudu, Oba Jimoh Ajayi, denied the allegations of maltreating farmers at the 30 Miles Square farm area in Wagadi Temidire, Ifetedo, Osun State.
Oba Ajayi explained that the reserve and others in Ifeland belonged to the Ooni and Ile-Ife and not to any other person or family, adding that some people, through alleged fraudulent means, had turned it into their personal property by allocating lands to innocent people while claiming to be the rightful owners of the reserve.
According to the Ologudu, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, appointed him as the chairman of the management team to oversee affairs at the reserve and to rearrange and correct the lopsided allocation of farmland in the area.
The king further stressed that there are some enclaves in the reserve leased out by the Western State Government, with the lease agreement expiring last November, stating however that some people are still laying claims to ownership of the land despite the expiration of the lease.
“This and other abnormal situations at the reserve are what we are correcting there. We are not disturbing anyone in the area. We are working with valid papers and through proper channels. The reserve belongs to the Ooni and Ile-Ife as a whole. It belongs to no other person or family and that is the fact,” he said.
Oba Ologudu added that “it is not true that I am forcing anyone out of the reserve or seizing their products. All we are telling them is to show us the valid papers authorising their stay in the reserve. Once they are able to produce such, they are free to stay there and continue with their business.
“Even a few days ago, we were at a meeting with some of the farmers and settlers at one of the settlements in the reserve. The people were happy with our presentations and praised the way we handled the issue. We are not fighting with anyone. All they are alleging we are doing are totally false.”
The Ologudu stressed that anyone who is sure of his or her facts should come to the public to confront him.
According to the farmers, all attempts to reach the current Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, to present their grievances had hit the rocks, as they had not been able to gain access to the monarch.
They therefore appealed to the Ooni of Ife, the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and other stakeholders to wade into the matter for peace to reign and enable them return to their cocoa farming business.
“All we want is justice and for illegal encroachment on our farms to be forestalled so that we can continue farming on the land legitimately allocated to us by Oba Sijuwade,” they appealed.
Source: Tribune Online
