|By Adejumo Adekunle
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has sounded the alarm over a potential communal clash between Osun and Oyo states, warning that unresolved boundary disputes could ignite fresh violence in several villages around the Iwo axis.
In a statement released on Wednesday through his spokesperson, Alli Ibraheem, the monarch alleged a covert plan to cede parts of Osun territory to the Lagelu community in Oyo State. He urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately set up an independent committee of inquiry to investigate the dispute and prevent what he described as an emerging threat to peace.
“There are indicators of a compromise to cede part of Osun State in Iwo axis to Lagelu in Oyo State, a situation that may trigger another civil unrest in the affected villages,” Oba Akanbi warned.
The monarch stressed that urgent government intervention was critical, accusing unnamed actors of attempting to “steal the ancestral birth rights of the people of Iwo land.” He revealed that residents remain angry over previous clashes, including an April confrontation involving land grabbers from Offa and Lagelu, which reportedly left three people dead.
According to him, grieving families have contemplated retaliation. “The families of the victims and residents of the affected villages in Iwo land intend to carry out a reprisal,” he said, noting that he persuaded them to pursue legal action and wait for an objective report from the National Boundary Commission.
However, Oba Akanbi expressed concern over the alleged mishandling of boundary documents by authorities. “The indicators show that all historical documents and evidence received from Osun State have been misplaced. If documents are missing, the committee has a right to call for other copies from us,” he said.
Reaffirming that the disputed villages historically belong to Osun State, the Oluwo pointed to existing public facilities and polling units that bear Osun identity. “It will be a national treason to force them to another state,” he added.
He appealed to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to intervene swiftly and urged security agencies to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
While expressing confidence in the federal government’s capacity to deliver justice, Oba Akanbi maintained that only swift, transparent action can prevent tensions from spiraling into violence and restore confidence among communities along the troubled boundary line.
