The Ijemo Council Of Chiefs , Oke-Ijemo, Abeokuta, Ogun State has said that it has never opposed to the urban renewal of Dapo Abiodun at Ibara Housing Estate.
This was stated in a release jointly signed by CHIEF SALAMI AGBAJE AJISAFE , the APENA IJEMO and CHIEF (BARR) OYEWOLE OYERO, LEMO IJEMO under the leadership of Oluwo Ijemo/Aro Egbaland,High Chief Oluyinka Kufile and made available to journalists in Abeokuta.
The Association said it has never worked against the administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun since he assumed office.
Recall that the former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba while commending Governor Abiodun on urban renewal said that he was furious when he heard that some people were protesting about the urban renewal of Prince Dapo Abiodun.
Osoba in his speech said “When I heard that some people were protesting about the urban renewal of Ibara Housing Estate, I was furious, and I want to appeal to us, Egba. We should learn. The University of Ibadan was supposed to be sited in Abeokuta, but because of the division within Egba, the university was taken to Ibadan.
“This time around, those who say they are opposed to the urban renewal of Dapo Abiodun at Ibara Housing Estate can pack and go. We will continue to support Dapo Abiodun.
The statement reads “Registered Trustees of Ijemo Council of Chiefs Foundation have observed with concern the remarks by Chief Olusegun Osoba at the commissioning of the Electronic Gate to the Hilltop Presidential Estate on the 20th August 2024 instant.
“We wish to state straightaway that the Ijemos were never opposed to Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration at any time and up till now. However, our concern is about Ancestry, History and Traditional Landholding in Egbaland as the first group of settlers in Egbaland in the 18th Century.
“History is replete with the phenomenon of massacres across the world that it will be an effort in futility to start cataloguing them here. Massacre is the indiscriminate, brutal, callous and ungodly slaughter of people. It is depopulation. The people of Ijemo suffered all these in the hands of the British Colonial authorities on the 8th day of August, 1914.
“This sordid situation must not be re-perpetuated in any form whatsoever using the instrumentality of Government. We have clearly made our representations to the Executive Governor of Ogun State and the Paramount Ruler of Egbaland HRM OBA ADEDOTUN AREMU GBADEBO CFR, Okukenu IV.
“The land on which the entire Estate situates and lies is Ijemo’s Ancestral Land. In effect, it is our natural and constitutional right to protest against the Urban Renewal Drive without consultation with the Original Owners. While comments are free and facts remain sacred, the fact of citing UCH in Ibadan and not Abeokuta do not by any stretch of imagination. support Chief Osoba’s Position; as it is a totally different issue. In-fact, the then Alake HRM OBA OLADAPO ADEMOLA KBE was better positioned regarding the articulated position of the Egbas then. History must not be distorted.
“The GRA Renewal Drive is purely a commercial venture without consultations with the Original Owners – The Ijemos. The Ijemos will no longer keep quiet and stand aloof when their heritage is been plundered for commercial purposes, hence our representation to the Government as the only possible window under the ambit of the law.
