Ondo State, Nigeria – The Irokun community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State has disputed the claim made by the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, that the community belongs to Ogun State. The disagreement stems from a boundary dispute that has raised tensions between the two states.
Oyedele had accused the Ondo State Government of not doing enough to prevent its citizens from encroaching on Ogun’s territory and launching attacks on indigenes in bordering communities. She also alleged that the appointment of Adeyinka Abejoye-Ogunyemi as a leader in the community was illegal and an act of impersonation.
In response, the Irokun community submitted a letter to the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, signed by its secretary, Emmanuel Ogunbajo. The letter, titled ‘Re: Stop incessant attacks on our communities, Ogun urges Ondo State,’ strongly refuted the claims made by Oyedele.
The community asserted that historical documents support its claim that Irokun is an ancient Ilaje Kingdom within the territory of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State. They emphasized that the people of Irokun are Ilaje and speak an undiluted Ilaje-Yoruba language.
The letter also addressed Oyedele’s assertion that Irokun has a traditional ruler who is a member of the Ijebu Traditional Council, stating that the current leader, HRH Oba Buari Olayinka Balogun, is the 8th Onirokun and has been on the throne since October 2007. They clarified that the immediate past leader, Oba Olowoniyi Abejoye, whose daughter is Adeyinka Abejoye-Ogunyemi, served as the 16th Olurokun of Irokun.
According to the community, all the archival documents that support their claims regarding their location are with the National Boundaries Commission. They pointed out that historical records from both Ondo and Ogun States, dating back to 1920, confirm that Irokun and the village of Obi were not within Ijebu country. After the enactment of the Native Authorities Ordinance of 1924, Olurokun of Irokun, Oba Joga Adejipe, in a letter dated October 8, 1937, traced the community’s ancestry to Ilaje and requested that Irokun remained part of the Mahin (Ilaje) District.
The Irokun community noted that the National Boundary Commission held a meeting in February 2016 with the deputy governors and officials from both states, which resulted in the rejection of Ogun State’s claims.
The community reaffirmed that they would maintain the “status quo that Irokun kingdom is an integral part of Ilaje and Ondo State,” despite any pressure from Ogun State.
The boundary dispute highlights the complexities of territorial disputes and the need for a fair and thorough resolution process to address disagreements between neighboring regions or states.