‘Leave or abide by our decision’ – Osun monarch warns non-indigenes

The Traditional ruler of Ila-Orangun, Oba Wahab Oyedotun, Bibiire I, has called non-indigenes who cannot abide by the decision of the palace to leave the town.

The monarch said that nobody in the town should claim any form of monetary compensation from the government either on the land or for the farm produce on the land.

However, the landowners housing Police Mobile Training College at Ila-orangun, Osun State have been clamouring for compensation from the Federal Government.

Palace source told DAILY POST that the landowners have filed a lawsuit in the State High Court to seek compensation from the government.

Meanwhile, in a press conference on Tuesday at the palace of Ila-Orangun by the monarch, he directed all the landowners to immediately withdraw suits in the State High Court or any other Courts in Nigeria.

In his words, the monarch said, “The enumeration of farm produce that were done later was fraught with irregularities which permitted many infiltrators and non-farmers to demand payment of compensation. This request has been fraught with irregularities led to false claims and arbitrary request from the government at a time when the economic climate remains gloomy.

“That the entirety of Ila-Orangun people hereby seize this opportunity to inform the government that the land housing the Police College is given to the government as part of our contribution to our State and the Federal government.

“Nobody should claim any form of monetary compensation from the government either on the land or for the farm produce on the land.

“We are aware that the amount of monetary claims quoted by an individual farmer in respect of the farm produce, are highly inflated and unreasonable.

“We are also aware of the fact that some people numbering about 600 present themselves as new claimants of additional compensation in court. If we have six hundred farmers of the magnitude of those compensatory claims as quoted in Osun State, they are enough to produce and feed the whole population in Nigeria.

“We dissociate ourselves from these claims. Ila-Orangun indigenes would deem the actions of the alleged farmers as intentionally calculated to forestall the economic development of the good people of Ila-Orangun and actions to scare away potential investors. If we compel all the listed farmers to appear in court for identification parade, can they present that number, above eighteen (18) years with their identification cards?

“We use this opportunity to inform all non-natives who are in court to also withdraw their claims on the government: otherwise we shall have no alternative than to evict them from our land, as their holdings on our land are not in perpetuity.

“We implore anybody who is a non-native and who cannot abide by our decision is free to leave our town.

“Any non-native farmers on Ila-Orangun’s land who cannot abide by our noble cause would be declared as an enemy of Ila-Orangun.”