The Ekiti State Government has instructed the office of the Surveyor General to initiate the formal physical demarcation process between Epe and Osan Ekiti in Moba Local Government area of the State.
Ekiti News reports that this directive follows the towns’ implementation of internal mechanisms to address their longstanding land dispute.
Last year, the communities withdrew their land case from the government and established a Land Dispute Resolution Committee, led by Prof. Ayan Adeleke and Prof. Wole Adebayo. This committee played a pivotal role in initiating a peace initiative that successfully and amicably resolved the matter.
Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, commended the leaders of the communities during her engagement in Ado Ekiti, acknowledging their generosity in accommodating compromises that facilitated the swift resolution of the crisis.
In her accolades, Mrs Afuye, said the towns had been able to lay a strong precedent in boundary resolution process in the state, by their decision to settle the crisis using internal mechanism, rather than relying on government .
“Let me commend you for being magnanimous and large -hearted. All lands belong to God. I want other communities who are having similar crisis to emulate this extreme show of understanding between these two towns.
“I want the stakeholders to meet with the Surveyor General, who will lead other government’s experts to visit the site and do proper physical demarcation and this will be done soon.
“Let the love and unity you have exhibited over time continue to persist. You have nothing to gain in acrimony”.
As contained in the report of the committee presented by Prof Wole Adebayo, the two communities consented to put the boundary at River Alagada and River Ose after concessions were made from both sides.
“We appeal to the government to come to the site promptly and do the physical demarcation that we have agreed on and this must be done in record time.
“There is no point fighting over land, we have always been good neighbours. Peace has begun to reign and we appreciate the government for giving us the opportunity to serve and proffer solution to this crisis”.
Aligning with the position canvassed in the report, the Elepe of Epe, Oba Atolagbe Olakanye and Olosan of Osan, Oba Tajudeen Jimoh, said the two communities, had agreed on a common boundary that can engender peaceful co-existence between them.
The monarchs commended Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration for being keen about peace and security in all towns, saying this accounted for why the land tussle was resolved amicably.