In a startling revelation, Ifon-Osun Community has accused the Olobu of Ilobu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan II, of conspiring against the Osun State Government.
This was revealed in a press statement released by the
National Public Relations Officer,
Ilobu-Asake Development Union, Mr. Tairu Babatunde.
The Statement reads, “in the twilight of 2023, precisely on Sunday the 31st day of December, 2023, through a press statement signed by Jide Adelaja Akinyooye, but credited to the stakeholders of Ifon-Osun Community, the people of Ifon-Osun in Orolu Local Government Council Area of Osun State stirred another trouble through a press release. By this act, the Olobu of Ilobu and the good people of Ilobu are not hurt, but it is important to put the issues raised in the press release in proper and permanent perspective to form part of the memory of the public for the future reference.
“The Olobu of Ilobu, His Royal Majesty, Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan II (J.P) as a chief or Baale under Olufon of Ifon-Osun and also made a false accusation that Olobu of Ilobu and by extension the people of Ilobu are consipiratiors in the alleged conspiracy against the Government of Osun State to cede part of the territory of Osun State to Oyo State.
“The people of Ifon-Osun further accused the people of Ilobu, though without sound basis, that the Olobu of Ilobu played a role in the process that led to the instalation of some indigenes of Ilobu on 29th December, 2023 as traditional heads (Baale) in their various settlements of Idi-Iroko; Ologele; Bara Odunayo; Bara Oloso (otherwise known as “Okiti Oloso”); Abebi (otherwise known as ‘’Abule Amao or Abule Aganna’’); Wale and Bada within the suzerainty of Aresaadu of Iresaadu and on the land being superintended over by Arayin of Iranyin on the permission of Aresaadu, in Surulere Local Government Council Area of Oyo State.
“The said press statement, which was made available to the media on 30th December, 2023 was given wide publicity by both the print and the social media on the 31st December, 2023.
“They unintelligible claim that His Royal Highness, Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan II (JP) is of Baale status is laughable and complete falsehood. History is important in understanding the present, but a shallow and hollow appreciation of the past is dangerous for the present. The ancestors of the people of Ifon-Osun did not tell such a fable that Olobu of Ilobu is a chief under Olufon of Ifon-Osun or if they were able to tell it, the public is aware that the historical antecedents and judicial pronouncements in the court cases between Ilobu and Ifon-Osun completely negate their fable.
“The falsehood that Olobu is a chief under Olufon of Ifon-Osun is what the people of Ifon-Osun wanted the public to believe. But the public is not as gullible as the author(s) of the said hollow piece, called a press statement. The author(s), in their bid to do the job of a griot, have failed woefully.
“This time is not the auspicious time for the people of Ifon-Osun to tell such a fable when, this year, 2024, Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan, II (J.P) will, by the grace of God, celebrate his 50th reign as an Oba, with pomp and pageantary, just like his predecessors who had reigned in Ilobu. What a pity!
“The outburst of the people of Ifon-Osun Community in the said press statement once more demonstrated the pervasive ignorance within Ifon-Osun Community about the historical antecedents of the hosting of Oosalokun from Ifon-Sobe and members of his family first at Akinnu Compound, Ilobu and their eventual settlement, first at Bale and later at Boosa (now called Ifon-Osun) in 1830.
“Similarly, in the said press statement, the people of Ifon-Osun shamelessly made false claim that Olobu of Ilobu and people of Ilobu are conspirators in the alleged conspiracy to cede some border settlements, which include Idi-Iroko; Ologele; Bara Odunayo; Bara Oloso (otherwise known as “Okiti Oloso”), Wale; Bada; Abebi (otherwise known as ‘’Abule Amao or Abule Aganna’’); Laniyan (now wrongly suffixed ‘’Molufon’’); Bolorunduro e.t.c. to Oyo State. This claim is not true in its entirety.This is another falsehood designed by the people of Ifon-Osun to cause disaffection between the Osun State Government and the people of Ilobu.
“Historically, the people who live and farm on the vast fertile land at the border settlements between Oyo and Osun State, which include Idi-Iroko (near Ologele); Ologele; Bara Odunayo; Bara Oloso (otherwise known as “Okiti Oloso”), Wale; Bada; Abebi (otherwise known as ‘’Abule Amao or Abule Aganna’’); Laniyan (now wrongly suffixed ‘’Molufon’’); Bolorunduro e.t.c. are indigenes of Ilobu, Osun State.However, they have been in their various settlements for centuries on the permission of Aresaadu of Iresaau as their overlord through Aranyin of Iranyin in Surulere Local Government, Oyo State.Some of their ancestors or forebearers or some previous setllers who who were also indigenes of Ilobu had, in the past made the customary head (Baale) of their settlement by past Aranyin of Iranyin under the authority of past Aresa
“Because of the industrious nature of the indigenes of Ilobu, thousands of Ilobu indigenes are scarterred all over the World and Nigeria in particular, where, because of the good characters and conducts they exhibit at all time in their settlement, they have been made the traditional heads (Baale) or Oba in their various domains. Just like the present situation in the said border settlements between Oyo and Osun States under reference, hundreds of Ilobu indigenes are made Obas and Baales and reign in many settlements in Olorunda, Ife South and Egbedore Local Government Areas of Osun State and settlements in Edo, Ogun, Ondo and Oyo States and elsewhere in Adamawa and Niger States of Norther Nigeria, whithout making recourse to Olobu before their appointment and installation.
“The truth the people of Ifon-Osun forget to tell the Government of Osun State, the Police Authorities and members of the public is that they dishonoured most brazenly the terms of the Peace Agreement mid-wifed by the Osun State Government and signed on the 6th day of October, 2023 right from the night of the 6th day of October, 2023.
“Up till now the war machinaries and hoodlums being sponsored and actively encouraged by the people of Ifon-Osun are still moving around with sophisticated weapons, arms and ammunitions, hounding the settlements for indigenes of Ilobu to kill and continuing with the destruction of the houses, economic trees, farms, items of property and stealing of farm products belonging to indigenes of Ilobu in the afore-mentioned border settlements, which include Idi-Iroko (near Ologele); Ologele; Bara Odunayo; Bara Oloso (otherwise known as “Okiti Oloso”), Wale; Bada; Abebi (otherwise known as ‘’Abule Amao or Abule Aganna’’); Laniyan (now wrongly suffixed ‘’Molufon’’); Bolorunduro e.t.c. and other settlements on the land of Ilobu, which include Alaiko, Osun, Mota, Gbena, Gbogbo, Aba Erin, Owode, Apata, Olode, Kajola, Idi-Iroko (near Kajola) e.t.c.
“Thus, the real cause of the installation of Baale in the said settlements on the land of Aresa of Iresaadu by Arayin of Iranyin, in Surulere Local Government is the people of Ifon-Osun themselves. The Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan II does not have royal authority to control Aranyin of Iranyin not to superintend his domain.
“Finally, we appeal to the Government of Osun State and the Police Authourities at the Osun State Police Command and Zone II Police Headquarters to be wary of falsehood by the people of Ifon-Osun as contained in the press statement of 30th December, 2023 and should not allow the false alarm raised by the people of Ifon-Osun in the press statement under reference to truncate their efforts in ensuring peace reigns within Irepodun and Orolu Local Governmrnt Council Areas of Osun State and should not allow themselves to be misled to take decisions and actions that may cause frictions between the Governments of Oyo and Osun States.”