Residents of Orile-Imo, an ancient Egba settlement in the Obafemi Owode local government area of Ogun State, have urged Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun to protect their community from potential extinction caused by land grabbers.

In a distress call addressed to the state governor, the community, represented by the Imo Descendants Association (IDA), accused the former local government chairman, Engr. Akeem Adesina, currently the special adviser to the governor on works, of colluding with land speculators. This collusion is alleged to pressure the community into selling their ancestral land to foreigners, ostensibly under the pretext of accommodating foreign investors in the state.

During a press conference held at the Centenary Hall in Abeokuta, the state capital, the IDA chairman, Oluwaseyi Abolade Lemo, revealed that the community has been under siege from conspirators oppressing them regarding community land. Lemo accused the governor’s aide of collaborating with officials from the Bureau of Lands and Survey, alleging that they falsely informed the community that the entire land had come under government acquisition. This, in turn, led to the forceful seizure of lands, subsequently sold to investors.

The community is now calling for an investigation into the allegations against Governor Abiodun’s Special Adviser on Works, Adesina. They emphasize that such an inquiry is crucial to prevent the community from facing extinction. In response, Adesina dismissed the allegations as “village politics” aimed at influencing the vacant stool and the installation of the new traditional ruler in the community.