Concerned citizens of Iyin-Ekiti, Ekiti State, have called on the Oluyin, Oba Adeola Ajakaye, to retrace his steps, return lands established to have been unlawfully acquired to the rightful owners and take urgent measures to restore peace in the community.
The call was contained in a statement issued by the group titled, “Iyin-Ekiti Land Crisis: Kabiyesi Must Retrace His Steps, Return the Lands and Restore Peace.”
The group said the controversy surrounding land acquisition in the town should not be reduced to competing narratives or media campaigns, insisting that the central issue was the alleged acquisition of ancestral properties belonging to families for projects linked to palace expansion, offices, a pavilion and lock-up shops.
According to the group, while residents support development that would enhance the status and infrastructure of Iyin-Ekiti, such development must respect the rights of lawful property owners.
“No reasonable person should oppose genuine development in Iyin-Ekiti. A modern palace, improved infrastructure and other development projects can contribute positively to the growth and prestige of the kingdom,” the statement said.
The group, however, maintained that development projects should be executed through consultation, consent and due process rather than through actions capable of dispossessing families of their ancestral properties.
The concerned citizens alleged that some families whose properties were reportedly earmarked for palace expansion were not adequately consulted or formally approached before alleged demolition and fencing activities commenced.
The group claimed that residents and property owners around Asinsin Street were confronted with what it described as attempts to demolish existing structures and fence portions of land.
The group further alleged that more than N1 billion had reportedly been earmarked for the project, with some chiefs allegedly assigned responsibilities relating to blocks and other building materials.
It questioned why, despite the scale of the proposed project, affected property owners were allegedly not brought to the negotiating table.
The concerned citizens commended the Ekiti State Bureau of Lands for its timely intervention in the dispute.
According to the group, the Bureau had written to the monarch directing that affected lands and properties established to have been unlawfully acquired be returned to their original owners.
“This shows that Ekiti State has a government that cares for the downtrodden and less privileged in society,” the statement said.
The group said it was particularly pleased that the intervention had, in its view, clarified the limits of traditional authority in matters involving private property rights.
It appealed to the state government not to allow the dispute to degenerate into a personality contest between the monarch and affected families.
Rather, it urged the government to treat the matter strictly as a land and property dispute and allow the law to determine the rights of the parties involved.
Iyin-Ekiti Land Crisis: Return disputed lands to owners – Concerned citizens tell Oluyin