Esa Oke Leaders Accuse State Actors of Fueling Land, Chieftaincy Crisis

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja 

The leadership of the Esa Oke community, a historically significant town in Osun State, has asked  the state government: act to avoid the escalation of the festering crisis over land and chieftaincy rights involving settlers in Ido-Ajegunle.

Speaking in Abuja yesterday alongside the Bajumo of Esa Oke, High Chief Yemi Omojadegbe, the Chairman of the Esa Oke Central Union, Otunba Bamigboye Yinusa Aremu, laid bare decades of historical grievances, institutional neglect, and what he described as “calculated political interference” in a matter that should have been resolved amicably.

“This is not just a crisis over land—it is a calculated effort to distort history and challenge the sovereignty of the Esa Oke people,” Aremu declared.

He said the conflict, which escalated with recent violent clashes and property destruction in Ido-Ajegunle, has its roots in a controversial honorary chieftaincy conferred in 1995 by the late Owa Obokun of Ilesa on a settler leader, Mr. Samuel Adekanmi Ajayi, designating him the “Olojudo of Ido Ajegunle.” 

This move, Aremu argued, planted the seed of division and territorial dispute.

He said, “Ido people were welcome settlers. They intermarried and integrated. But when an outsider installed a ‘king’ over land that belongs to Esa Oke, it was not just illegal—it was provocative.”

Aremu clarified that the Owa of Ilesa has no prescribing authority over Esa Oke territory.

 “We were never conquered. Esa Oke is a distinct entity. Our royal lineage originates from Ile-Ife, and our history cannot be rewritten by convenience or political manipulation.”

Both Aremu and High Chief Omojadegbe lamented the consistent failure of state actors—particularly security agencies and political appointees—to heed their warnings or act on repeated petitions.

Aremu said, “The DSS, the police, the SA on Security—we informed all of them, well before the violence escalated.

“But our reports were ignored. I personally spent almost three months in mediation efforts. Nothing came of it.”

Omojadegbe described how his own brother was abducted while farming in the contested area, only to be rescued by local youth and the Divisional Police Officer. 

“These incidents are not isolated—they reflect a pattern of harassment that has gone unchecked,” he added.

He said much of the tension centres around the appointment of Mr. Timilehin Ajayi, reportedly a native of Ilesa, who now parades himself as a monarch in Ido-Ajegunle.

 “He’s not a king. He is a settler claiming an illegal title,” said Aremu.

According to the community leaders, the settlers were originally permitted to farm in the area on specific conditions: no planting of permanent crops such as cocoa or cashew, and an annual payment for land use. 

“They agreed to these terms. So how can someone now claim they own the land—or worse, that they rule it?” Aremu asked.

The leaders expressed frustration over the alleged plan to install a second-class Oba in a settlement of “no more than eight mud huts.” 

Omojadegbe said, “How can someone who doesn’t even own a proper village claim kingship? It’s laughable—except it’s dangerous.”

The Esa Oke leadership issued a strong appeal to the state government, led by Governor Ademola Adeleke, to take immediate and impartial action. 

They demanded the full implementation of the investigative panel set up to probe the crisis, and a standing order to halt further encroachment or recognition of chieftaincy claims in Ido-Ajegunle.

“If the government has no hidden motive, it should direct those people to vacate the land and stop parading as kings,” said Aremu. “Anything less is an endorsement of chaos.”

The panel of enquiry, according to the leaders, concluded hearings months ago but is yet to produce actionable outcomes. “We participated fully. We didn’t walk out. So why the delay?” they asked.

While unconfirmed reports suggest at least four lives may have been lost in the recent violence, community leaders insist their priority remains peace—provided it’s built on truth and justice.

“We are not against Ido people. We want peace. But not at the expense of our ancestral rights,” Aremu emphasised.

Omojadegbe added: “This is not a tribal war. It’s a betrayal—possibly backed by forces that benefit from division. But we will resist, and we will defend our heritage.”

With the state government’s panel report expected in the coming weeks, all eyes are now on Osun State’s leadership. 

What they decide—and how swiftly they act—could either restore calm or tip the region further into unrest.