Ijewu community appeals to Olofa on alleged land encroachment

Members of Ijewu community, Offa local government area of Kwara state has appealed to the traditional institution in the ancient town to intervene on the issue of incessant encroachment on their land by some individuals in the area.

It is recalled that people of Ijewu land had, in the last three years, argued with the traditional ruler of Offa, the Olofa of Offa, Oba Muhammadu Muftau Gbadamosi, on the ownership of the land.

The community members vehemently denied a recent report by Oba Gbadamosi that he had not illegally occupied some parcels of land in Ijewu land as totally untrue and incorrect.

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The people, who led a protest to the state House of Assembly last year, had accused Oba Gbadamosi of taking over their farmlands bequeathed to them by their forefathers.

But the monarch then denied the allegation, arguing that he inherited the entire land in the community from his grand-father, the Esuwoye I.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Monday, Baale of Ijewu, Moshood Adeogun, said that, “The land in question is our own inheritance. Ijewu is where our forefathers founded. It was in 2016 that the Olofa entered into that land and decided to lay claim to it arguing that the land belongs to his father.

“We want to call on the members of the public to be wary. Anybody buying any parcel of land with regards the Ijewu land is doing that at his or her own peril. The land does not belong to anyone else but Ijewu people. Ijewu was founded in the 17th century by the 11 houses in the Ijewu land. These are the original owner of the land. Any other person that is laying claim to the land is an interloper”, he said.