Ogun: Controversy in Ipokia over sale of Oro forest
Controversy has trailed the sale of Oro sacred forest in Ipokia, the headquarters of the Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun State
The forest, reportedly owned by members of the Elemosanyin family, was said to have been sold by the Omolegbe section of the family without the consent or knowledge of other members.
Trees providing covers for the Oro deity were reported felled by the sellers of the forest in preparation for building activities by buyers.
An aggrieved member of the Elemosanyin family, Prince Samuel Olawin, has initially warned that anybody who buys land from the Omolegbe section would have themselves to blame, saying such a transaction is null and void.
In an interview with newsmen, Olawin claimed that he was the head of the Elemosanyin family for years, doing things together with the Omolegbes.
He expressed surprise that the Omolegbes woke up one day to start claiming to be the sole owners of all Elemosanyin family lands, including the Igbo Oro.
According to him, the sale of the sacred Oro forest was arbitrarily done without the consent of his section of the family, saying no single section can sell a land belonging to many sections.
The nonagenarian maintained that though the sellers of the forest claimed to have a judgement from the customary court against the Oro worshippers, they cannot sell the land without the express permission, consent, and approval of the other sections of the family.
“I am the head of the Elemosanyin family of Ipokia and I am saying that nobody has the right to sell the Igbo Oro or any portion of the Elemosanyin lands without the express permission, consent, and approval of all the sections of the family. The Omolegbe section acted arbitrarily by selling the Oro forest.
“They engaged in the illegal felling of many economic trees after selling the Oro forest. This is something they had once signed an undertaking not to do again before the Ogun Commissioner of Police. They claimed to have secured a judgement at the Ipokia customary court against the Oro worshippers, but that judgment does not give them the power to sell that land without the consent of other sections of the family.
“It is illegal and unacceptable. It is against the Ogun State Anti-Landgrabbing, and anybody who buys the land does so at his own peril. This is an act that could cause a breach of public peace, but we have always called for calm. I repeat, the Elemosanyin lands can not be sold without our consent.
“In a suit, Case No 60/1946, owners of the Elemosanyin lands were listed by the late grandmother of these same set of people. Anyone who cares should see this judgement as no other one can vitiate, invalidate, nullify, or abrogate this long-standing judgement. The Elemosanyin family has not sold the Oro forest or any of its property surrounding it.
When contacted, a representative of the Omolegbe section, Rasheed Adeyemi, urged his accusers to charge him in court to prove that he had no right on the land.
He also requested that the Olawins present documents that showed their connection to the land.
“Let them bring documents to show that they are also connected to the land, and if they have any document, let then charge me to court,” Adeyemi said.
When asked about the court case on the said land, Adeyemi stressed that it was his sect that took the traditionalists (Oro group) to the court when they were claiming ownership of the land that was lend to them.
“We gave the Oro people the land to use, and when we needed it and they refused, we took them to court and secured a judgement that favoured us.”
