Oluwo urges Tinubu to set up independent panel on Osun–Oyo boundary dispute
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –
The Paramount Ruler of Iwoland, HIM Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to constitute an unbiased, independent committee of inquiry to investigate the disputed Iwo axis of the Osun–Oyo boundary.
In a statement by his Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, Oba Akanbi alleged that there are indications of a compromise to cede part of Osun State in the Iwo axis to Lagelu in Oyo State — a situation he said could trigger civil unrest in the affected villages.
He accused some parties of being complicit in a clandestine plan to deprive the people of Iwoland of their ancestral birthrights, warning that it would be difficult to console those whose lands, homes, and government facilities such as hospitals, schools, and polling units are seized through biased actions.
The monarch said urgent steps were needed to avert a looming crisis between the two neighbouring states. “As a responsible father, I will find it extremely difficult to console victims who lose their loved ones and properties to illegal land grabbers and those whose ancestral lands and facilities are hijacked by compromised individuals,” he said.
Recalling past incidents, Oba Akanbi noted that three people were killed last April by land grabbers from Offa and Lagelu. He said he had to restrain the victims’ families from launching a reprisal, urging them instead to seek justice through the courts while assuring them of an impartial report from the National Boundary Commission.
He expressed concern that the commission’s committee misplaced historical documents and issued findings unfavourable to the rightful owners, stressing that the people of Iwo are the legitimate landlords of the affected villages, where schools, hospitals, and polling units are all under Osun State.
The Oluwo appealed to President Tinubu to set up a powerful and objective independent body of inquiry to re-examine or conduct fresh findings on the original ownership of the disputed villages, saying it would be a national injustice to force Iwo people into another state.
He further cautioned that the relatively peaceful states of Osun and Oyo should not be thrown into chaos by those ignorant of the land’s history, expressing confidence in President Tinubu’s capacity to intervene promptly and sustain peace in the area.
Oba Akanbi also urged Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to closely monitor the committee’s report before release and called on security agencies, especially the DSS, to investigate the committee’s activities to ensure the truth prevails.
