The Baale of Ora Kingdom in Eredo LCDA, High Chief Peter Oriyomi Ogungbesan has called on the Lagos State Government to wade into a land dispute between his community and Odogbawojo, a neighbouring community.
Speaking with newsmen recently in his palace, the Baale of Ora stated that Ora and Odogbawojo have been together for about 300 years now.
According to High Chief Ogungbesan, “Ora came from Idowa, Ijebu while Odogbawojo came from Owu. They are brothers and have been doing things together for ages.
“My grandfather was once the Baale of Odogbawojo while my father was the first Olu of Ora Kingdom. In 1983 during the era of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Ambrose Ali, Chief Tele Olukoya, Alhaji Lateef Jakande and others, my father was a stalwart of the UPN then and they decided to host a caucus meeting here in my father’s house.
“After the meeting, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his team decided to honour my father with the esteemed chieftaincy title of the Kaabiesi of Odogbawojo. However, that effort was truncated by the military take-over of 1983/84 before my father’s death in 1984.
“It was the former Alara of the Ilara Kingdom who saw the need to have me as the custodian of our cultural heritage in Ora land and graciously installed me as the Baale of Ora Kingdom. The position I have since occupied since 2017.
“We and Odogbawojo people have been here together for decades and have enjoyed peaceful relationships without any acrimony.
“Even the new king of Odogbawojo, HRM Oba Marufdeen Adelani Adeniyi is my friend. We attended the same school here in Mojoda-Odoayan and I have since sent a congratulatory letter to him through my secretary on his emergence as the monarch,” he added.
Ogungbesan debunked claims that he sent touts and hoodlums to forcefully grab lands in Odogbawojo.
“Series of issues have been coming up between the two communities over the years. It’s a lie for anyone to say that Ora is not on the map.
“In fact, there are some things we and the people of Odogbawojo share in common as neighbouring communities; The Oluweri, the Oro, the Kilajolu and others.
“Traditionally, whenever the Kilajolu masquerade comes out, before setting its eyes on the Kaabiesi, it must see the Shugbola first.
“What I only noticed over time was that some disgruntled elements within the Odogbawojo community are planning ill and disruptive activities in recent times.
“Imagine the arrest of some of my sons claiming that they came to attack them or grab their lands. This is uncalled for.
“Those boys were arrested for doing nothing. I sent them on an errand and they were accosted and taken to the Noforija Police Station. I have called the DPO who confirmed it.
“There are no land grabbers in my community and I don’t tolerate nonchalant attitude within my community and I will never give room for such unlawful activities in my community,” the High Chief added.
Ogungbesan recalled that the Lagos State government, through the reviewed Lagos State Properties Protection Law (LSPPL), 2016 had assigned a six years jail term for land grabbers.
“Anyone found getting involved in land grabbing in Ora community should be arrested and handed over to the police to face the law,” Ogungbesan therefore, called on Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other relevant stakeholders to wade into the land matter between Ora and Odogbawojo to ensure a peaceful solution between the two sister communities.
“I want peace to reign. We have been enjoying peaceful co-existence and I want to sustain it, ” the Baale of Ora added.
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