The Ila-Orangun community in the Ila Local Government Area of Osun State has appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke and his Ekiti State counterpart Abiodun Oyebanji to intervene in the land tussle between the town and some Oke-Imesi farmers.
The residents said they would no longer tolerate the alleged intentional encroachment on their land. At a meeting attended by traditional chiefs, religious leaders and sociocultural groups of the town at the palace of the Orangun of Ila, the sons and daughters of the town said the Supreme Court had ruled that the Orangun of Ila is the original owner of that land and that the Oke Imesi people are tenants in their present farming location.
The land in question, according to the Obanla of Ila-Orangun Oba Samuel Otitoola, is between Oran- gun and Oke-Imesi at the place where the Osun River joins with the Oruro River. Quoted Messrs Car- keek and Burgess who established the boundary, according to Otitoola, “By this arrangement, from the place where Oruro River meets with Osun River inward belongs to Esa-Oke.
From the Osun River to where it extends outward from Edemosi to Oruro River to Ayegun and to Ekiti boundary belongs to Ila Orangun. Oba Otitoola accused some farmers of Oke-Imesi of disobeying the court order which had stated clearly that the land belonged to Orangun by intentionally encroaching on the land.