The Egba/Egbado Gbalefa Traditional Council of Baales in Ado Odo/Ota Local Government has vowed not to confine any part of their communities under the Egba Traditional Council to Aworiland.
They alleged Olota of Otta-Awori, Oba Professor Adeyemi Obalanlege, of forceful incursion into Gbalefa communities and called on the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, to investigate the matter in the soonest time.
The General Secretary of the traditional council, Chief Olaniyi Mosaku, flanked by the chairman, Chief Sokunbi Oyero, and the Assistant Secretary and Public Relations Officer, Chiefs Afolayan and Chief Lateef Oloya, respectively, while addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Abeokuta, said the Egba/Egbado communities are under the siege of Olota of Ota.
Mosaku alleged that the Olota has been installing Baales where there are existing Baales outside his jurisdiction of Ota.
The Egba/Egbado Gbalefa Traditional Council, therefore, asked the Egba Traditional Council, under the chairmanship of the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, to prevail on Olota to exercise his jurisdiction within the Ota territories.
Mosaku also called on Governor Abiodun to cause an investigation into the Olota of Ota invasion into Kajola Iboro, despite the judgement of the Ogun State High Court, and invasion into several communities by the Olota.
He said, “Three quarters of the communities in Egbado/Egbado Gbalefa Land have been sold by the Aworis. We are peace-loving people, and we will try to adhere to the instruction of our principals, that is, the Alake of Egbaland; the Osile of Oke Ona Egba; the Olowu of Owu; and the Agura of Gbagura, to maintain peace, despite the intimidation we are being subjected to.
“We are under the siege of the Olota. We called on the Governor and the Attorney General of the State to investigate the allegations. We are not conceding our territories to the Aworis. We are not ready to give any inch of Gbalefa to Awori.
“We are getting tired of the intimidation and harassment melted on us. We are trying our best not to be stupidly confrontational. We stand tall and determined to see to it that Olota and his cohorts leave our communities.
“We urge the judiciary to expedite action on the various cases in respect of Gbalefa before it.”
In his reaction, Oba Obalanlege said those complaining are Egba people, whose ancestors came from farms and live in Ota/Aworiland.
The Olota also explained that there is nothing like Gbalefa in Ogun State, stressing that it does not exist on the map of Ogun State.
The monarch equally alleged the complainants were being used by their traditional rulers to cause unrest and create a toxic environment for the peace-loving Ota-Awori people.
“There is nothing like Gbalefa in Ogun State or in Ota. It is their backers that are causing the unrest and toxic environment for us in Ogun State, and it is not acceptable. The government has made it clear several times that there is nothing like Gbalefa; it is not even on the map of Ogun State. The court has said there is nothing like Gbalefa.
“Where they are claiming is part of Otaland. They live on our land. If they want Egbaland, they should go to Abeokuta South or Abeokuta North. They came to live in our land.
“Their traditional rulers are backing them because they are Egba people. They are our guests; they came to farm on our land and decided to live there. The land belongs to us. They are not Baales. Who appointed them? Can you go to another land and become traditional rulers over the indigenes in their land? It is not possible,” Olota said.
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