The Oore of Otun, Oba Adekunle Adeagbo and the Alaaye of Aaye- Oja,Oba Ayanniyi Olatoye in Moba Local Government have consented to the peace initiative of Ekiti State Government for the two communities to live harmoniously. Expressing their readiness to cooperate with the Technical Committee of the state government to resolve the age long land dispute between the communities.
The monarchs spoke at a parley convened by the office of the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, on Thursday, during a truce meeting on the dragging land tussle between the two towns.
A statement by the Deputy Governor’s Media Aide, Victor Ogunje, stated that the traditional rulers in their separate responses, attested that both communities had been long great allies and the crisis won’t be allowed to trigger friction or bloodshed .
The monarchs promised to abide by any position taken by government on the encumbered parcel of land, saying peace is paramount to the development of their towns.
Mrs Afuye, while addressing the representatives of the communities, regretted how the towns, who were peaceful neighbours, had jettisoned the recommendations made by the Moba Council of Traditional Rulers on the matter.
She said: “Even efforts made by State Government’s Technical Committee to resolve the crisis were futile. We have always been successful in all our peace making mission. I want you to imbibe the spirit of give and take, if you can do this, our Committee will be able to resolve this easily.
“Our governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji wants all the towns in Ekiti to be in peace. We don’t want thuggery. The committee will come to visit you, pending that time, I want you to go and remove all those that are farming on the disputed land, so that our officials can be safe to do their jobs”.
On the crisis being allegedly caused by the youths in the two towns, Mrs Afuye, told the monarchs to warn their youths against formeting trouble that could make the crisis fester into a full scale war.
Meanwhile, while interfacing with the representatives of Ilawe-Ekiti and Odo community over land crisis, Mrs Afuye, promised that all the documents tendered will be forwarded to the office of the Attorney General and Surveyor-General for interpretation and recommendations .
The Deputy Governor said; “Give us just a month, we will come up with our recommendations that will be fair and just. We don’t have any interest in this matter. Let us finish with our investigations. I am hopeful that our findings will lay this matter to rest”.