The Ekiti State Government, has again restated that the autonomy granted to some communities was intended to propel development at the grassroots, and not to stoke the fire of acrimony between towns.
The government lamented the emerging recurrent cases of violence and enmity among the hosts and excised towns, warning that no community will be allowed to display belligerent actions that could thwart its efforts to actualise the set goals around autonomy.
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, gave the clarification in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday, while interacting with stakeholders on the raging land tussle between Igbemo and Orun Ekiti, in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of the State.
Orun, which had hitherto existed as a Quarter in Igbemo Ekiti, was granted autonomy on September 14, 2013, during the first term administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi.
Addressing the stakeholders at the meeting, Mrs Afuye, told the Onigbemo of Igbemo Ekiti, Oba Adewumi Daramola and Olorun of Orun Ekiti, Oba Joshua Osalusi, to rein in their subjects and avert any bedlam that could result in carnage in the two communities.
She said: “The two Kabiyesis can sit and settle this matter amicably. The concept of autonomy granted to some towns as gazetted in the Ekiti State Government White Paper, was to accelerate development at the grassroots. But sad enough, some people are making it looks like the other way round.
“Some of you had inter-married and had a lot of things in common. I expect the old and new communities to be friends. Development of your towns and subjects should be your focus, not unnecessary fights over lands”.
Mrs Afuye promised that government will deploy experts of the Ekiti State Boundary Resolution Technical Committee to undertake proper boundary demarcation between the two towns to resolve the issue permanently.
In his submission at the parley, the Onigbemo of Igbemo Ekiti, Oba Daramola, said there wasn’t any document from government suggesting that Orun Ekiti was allocated any land taken from the aborigines, despite being granted full fledged autonomy.
The monarch stoutly posited that since this land demarcation has not been done, that it remains a well established fact that all the lands within the radius of the two towns belong to his community.
Countering the position canvassed by the traditional ruler, the Olorun of Orun Ekiti, Oba Osalusi, said the autonomy accorded his people in 2013 went with benefits, including the right to manage their own traditions, lands and development, without interruption from Igbemo Ekiti.
However, Oba Osalusi concurred with the position of his colleague that delay in the boundary delineation between the towns by government sparked off the impression that his community has no land of its own, describing this as a gross violation of his people’s rights.
The monarch said: “There was a time in this country that the Western Region was the government in place in the southwest. Six states were later created from it, of which Ondo State was one. Later, Ekiti State was created from Ondo State. Today, is Ekiti not having a land of its own?
“I appeal to government to carry out the boundary delineation in time. The delay of this process is making things difficult for us”, the monarch said.
Meanwhile, the two monarchs promised to cohabit peacefully and mediate in the land dispute to restore normalcy where necessary