In a bid to put an end to land dispute brewing in Ipoti -Ekiti, Ijero Local Government Area of the state and two neighboring towns, the Ekiti State Government, has ordered the affected towns to appear before its Technical Resolution Committee when constituted.
The government said it won’t fold its arms and allow any bloodshed in community under the guise of crisis emanating from land tussle and other communal clashes.
The Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, said this in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, while mediating in a land dispute between the three communities of Ipoti, Ejiyan and Owatedo Ekiti, in Ijero council Area of the State.
The trouble- shooting efforts stemmed from a letter written by the Law Chambers of Barrister A.O Okeya & Associates, on behalf of Ejiyan-Ekiti, claiming that Ipoti High School, which now falls on its land should be named Ejiyan High School.
In the letter, signed on behalf of Obalaaye of Ejiyan, Oba Adekunle Adepoju, claimed that the school was built on its own portion of land and that it would be abberant for the school to bear Ipoti’s name, having got its autonomy in 2013.
Addressing the communities on Tuesday, Mrs Afuye, urged the towns to remain united, saying the trio were under Ipoti before Owatedo and Ejiyan were granted autonomy by the immediate past administration of Dr Kayode Fayemi.
Mrs Afuye promised that the committee set up by government will soon begin operation , urging the affected towns to forward their memoranda and also take time to appear before it to guide the government on what steps to take on the ownership of the land.
She said; “What is most important to Governor Biodun Oyebanji is the development of the three towns and Ekiti in general. We won’t allow anybody to mislead us on this matter. We will be dispassionate and painstaking in looking at all documents brought before us.
“If we are not going to change the name of the school, this will come from Olupoti and his relationship with other towns. He needs to show love to others, who were once under his authority before they got their autonomy.
“We have competent professionals to handle the matter and resolve all the contentious issues surrounding this matter. Don’t allow this crisis to cause any bloodshed or division.
“But I want to appeal that you allow the name of the school to stand in order not to affect your students in future while we go ahead to determine the true ownership of the land area under contention for future reference”.
Those who attended the meeting included: the Chairman of Irede LCDA, Hon. Abobade Olugbenga,
the Olupoti of Ipoti -Ekiti, Oba Oladipupo Kolade, the Oloja- Owa of Owatedo Ekiti, Oba Olawumi Olofinlade and the Obalaaye of Ejiyan- Ekiti, Oba Adekunle Adepoju, Ekiti State Surveyor-General, Surveyor Adebayo Faleto, among others.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor, also had an interface with the concerned stakeholders on the land crisis between Alaworoko-in-Council and Arinjale family of Iworoko Ekiti.
Mrs Afuye pleaded with the warring factions to sheathe their swords and refrain from taking any action until final decisions are taken by government to authenticate the true ownership of the parcel of land where Iworoko High School was built.