The reconstituted Land Matters and Chieftaincy Affairs Committee of Ijesaland has urged residents embroiled in land and traditional disputes to embrace Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) rather than prolonged litigation and confrontation.
The committee said it would work to resolve disputes peacefully across the six local government areas that make up Ijesaland, while also collaborating with the Osun State Boundary Commission on boundary-related complaints involving communities in the area.
Secretary of the eight-member committee, Prof. Kolawole Kazeem, disclosed this on Thursday during the maiden sitting of the panel in Ilesa, Osun State.
Kazeem, who spoke on behalf of the chairman, Pa Ebenezer Adefalu, said the committee would examine existing disputes involving land ownership and chieftaincy and encourage parties to seek amicable settlements.
“We want people to embrace this Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism. We will ensure that cases on land and chieftaincy already in court from all six local government areas in Ijesaland are sorted out peacefully,” he said.
According to him, the committee was particularly concerned about the high number of chieftaincy disputes emanating from Ijesaland, noting that such cases constituted a significant proportion of matters handled in Osun State.
“If you go to Osogbo, more than 70 per cent of cases on chieftaincy disputes come from Ijesaland. So this committee has the mandate to make sure that we reduce cases of chieftaincy disputes,” Kazeem said.
He stressed that the committee was not a court or a final authority but an advisory body established to facilitate peaceful resolution of disputes.
“We should settle things amicably among ourselves without escalating them or making them serious matters. We are not the final authority. We are playing an advisory role, and we are going to do our best,” he added.
The committee will also address complaints involving alleged activities of land grabbers, popularly known as “Omo Onile”, as well as land grabbing and trespass involving communities located along Ijesaland’s boundaries with neighbouring states.
Kazeem said the panel would present relevant petitions to the Osun State Boundary Commission and work with the agency to accelerate the resolution of boundary disputes.
The six local government areas covered by the committee are Obokun, Oriade, Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Atakumosa East and Atakumosa West.
“We want to present the case on behalf of Ijesaland. That is what the Owa told us, and all the other monarchs in towns and cities in Ijesaland are involved in it,” Kazeem said.
He added that the committee had representatives from the six local governments to ensure coordination in addressing disputes, stressing that it would liaise with neighbouring states, including Ondo and Ekiti, where necessary.
“What we are looking at, and what we are looking for, is ensuring that there should be no wars over land and chieftaincy matters in Ijesaland,” he said.
Kazeem urged individuals and communities with complaints to submit petitions to the committee’s secretariat in 12 copies.
He said the committee would sit four times every month.
The committee was inaugurated by the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adesuyi Hastrup, at his palace in Ilesa in October.
Its members include Adefalu as chairman, Kazeem as secretary, Oba Peter Adebamigbe, Rev. Abiodun Osungbohun, Isaac Orolugbagbe, Prof. Olu Obi, Yemisi Ariyibi and Chief Daramola Daisi.
Justice Adedotun Onibokun serves as honorary consultant.
At the inauguration, Oba Hastrup reiterated his ban on land grabbing across Ijesaland and warned traditional chiefs and security operatives against supporting those involved in the practice.
The monarch said anyone using land ownership claims, community authority or traditional influence to harass, intimidate or extort genuine landowners and developers would not be tolerated.
He also warned that security personnel found aiding land grabbers would be reported to higher authorities.
Oba Hastrup charged the committee to discharge its responsibilities with fairness, integrity and impartiality, while urging residents, traditional rulers, chiefs, families, landowners, developers and community leaders to cooperate with the panel and pursue lawful channels for resolving disputes.
