Osun monarch calls for peace amid boundary dispute

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The Olojudo of Ido-Ayegunle in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, His Royal Majesty Oba Oluwatimileyin Ajayi, has appealed for peace among his people and neighboring communities amid renewed tensions over lingering boundary disputes.

The call comes amid a fresh crisis between the Ifon and Ilobu communities in Osun over a land dispute that began in April and remains unresolved.

In a statement Sunday by the community’s spokesperson, Busuyi Ibironke, Ajayi stressed that the dispute should divide the two communities.

“I urge all sons and daughters of Ido-Ayegunle, and indeed our neighbors, to maintain peace. Disputes should never divide us as a people,” the monarch said.

At the center of the Ido-Ayegunle issue is a complex boundary tangle involving neighboring Ido Ajinare in Ondo State and Efon-Alaye in Ekiti State.

Oba Ajayi reiterated that while the town acknowledges ancestral ties to Ido-Irapa (now Ido Ajinare), it has always identified with the Ijesa heritage and falls under Osun State.

“While some Ido-Ayegunle residents acknowledge ancestral origins from Ido-Irapa (now Ido Ajinare), they affirm that their community has always aligned culturally with the Ijesa people and politically preferred association with Oyo State structures.

“A Federal Boundary Commission investigation into the matter highlighted discrepancies in map records. The Commission observed that the boundary as shown in sheets 243 and 244 did not correspond with the one reflected in the 1932 record maps.

“After extensive review, the Commission concluded that the most appropriate boundary should follow the ridge of hills as depicted in map B.A.C. XXII, a position aligning more closely with the older 1932 boundary gazette.

“The federal government, in accepting the Commission’s recommendations, effectively recognized the 1932 boundary map as the legitimate framework for the affected region, ” the statement stated.

He called on traditional rulers, local authorities, and all stakeholders to respect legal demarcations and promote harmony.

“Peaceful coexistence is our collective responsibility. Let us not allow boundaries to sow division among us,” he said.