The Ekiti State Government, has commended the the traditional Rulers in Moba Local Government Area of the State for spearheading a process for peaceful resolution of the lingering land tussle between the neighbouring towns of Epe and Iro- Ekiti.
Specifically, the government applauded the Elepe of Epe Ekiti, Oba Michael Atolagbe and Aroyinro of Iro Ekiti, Oba Ajiboye Omotoso, for allowing the monarchs to put internal machinery in motion for peaceful settlement of the long-drawn crisis between the two towns.
The Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, gave the commendation , on Monday, while interfacing with the stakeholders from Epe and Iro Ekiti, in Moba Local Government Area of the State in her office in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.
The intervention stemmed from a letter written by Iro community, intimating the government that the dispute between the two towns had been resolved by Moba Council of Traditional Rulers, with a request that government should officially demarcate the area to forestall future crisis.
Presiding over the matter, Mrs Afuye, according to a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, said experts from the office of Surveyor General of the State will visit the place for proper demarcation that would halt future disagreement.
The government appealed to communities experiencing inter-communal land dispute to imbibe the spirit of give and take as demonstrated by the two towns, for speedy resolution of their disagreements .
The government insisted that Governor Biodun Oyebanji won’t tolerate any small crisis relating to land crisis to fester into a full scale war that can cause bloodshed and threaten the existing peace and unity among Ekiti residents.
She emphasized that the current government is averse to bloodshed and acrimony over land crisis, commending the two communities for allowing the dispute to be resolved through internal mechanisms.
“We are happy with the level of unity that was existing in Moba Local Government. Not long ago, Epe and Osan Ekiti communities resolved the land dispute between them without government’s intervention. They only sought our partnership in demarcating the place officially.
“The same path the Epe is toeing now with Iro Ekiti. We commend your spirit of give and take. We appeal to other towns to emulate this good gesture for sustainable peace in our land in alignment with the policy of Governor Oyebanji”.
Corroborating the fact that the matter had been resolved, the Aroyinro of Iro Ekiti, Oba Ajiboye Omotoso, said 13 prominent traditional rulers from Moba Council area visited the beleaguered land and offered solutions that were acceptable to all sides.
“We have no crisis again. The matter had been resolved. Epe people have been our good allies for ages, nothing can separate us. We appreciate the government for acceding to our request that the place will be officially demarcated, we are happy about this”.
Lending credence to the peaceful resolution of the bedlam, the Elepe of Epe, Oba Atolagbe, agreed that the place should be officially demarcated, saying the two towns can’t go into crisis over land, having coexisted peacefully for centuries.
“We have settled this matter . About 13 kings from Moba Local Government had waded into the matter and settled it. We have no crisis over the matter. Nobody can trample on Iro’s land from our side”, the monarch assured.
