In a bid to broker truce in the brewing land dispute between the Eyemote Comprehensive High School, Iyin Ekiti and Asalu family, the Ekiti State Government, has directed the Boundary Technical Committee to visit the town for proper demarcation of the disputed land.
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, gave the directive, while interfacing with some critical stakeholders in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, through a statement signed by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje.
In resolving the matter, the Deputy Governor directed the school management to stop the fencing project being undertaken, pending the time the committee will visit the encumbered area for proper demarcation.
In the same fashion, Mrs Afuye, told the institution not to exceed the area earlier released for the building of the school by Asalu family in 1967, to avert intra- communal violence that could trigger bloodshed or insurrection in Iyin Ekiti.
She advised the feuding parties to have a “give and take mindset” in the resolution of the matter, saying win-win situation for all parties has been a potent strategy being adopted by government to resolve land disputes.
Speaking during the parley, the Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Adeniyi Ajakaye, appreciated the Governor Biodun Oyebanji-led government for intervening in the matter that is gradually gathering tension.
Oba Ajakaye, represented by Odofiyin of Iyin Ekiti, High Chief Ayodeji Esan, said the community places prime value on the protection of lives and property, and that the issue at hand shouldn’t be allowed to degenerate to violent action.
The monarch promised that his council will cooperate with the boundary committee to bring a lasting solution to the land encroachment dispute.
Expressing their grievances over alleged encroachment into their lands, representative of Asalu family, Prof. Ayo Akinlua, lamented how the family’s lands were being forcibly grabbed, calling on government to deploy all its powers to ensure that justice is done in the matter.
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Prof Akinlua claimed that the institution had exceeded the area allotted to it at inception in 1967, describing this as a great injustice and abridgement of the rights of Asalu family.
To complement the peace-building policy of Oyebanji -led government, the Chairman of Araromi Local Council Development Area, Chief Adewole Alade, said the council had deployed security to the institution to ward off violence and loss of life.
The council boss added that he decided to take such action when he noticed that some land sellers were infiltrating the school compound and importing those he described as “thugs” to the area.