Members of the Obanla, Oloro and Asaoye families of Oketoro Quarter, Iyin-Ekiti, Ekiti State, have protested the alleged resale of their ancestral farmlands to private individuals for hostel construction after they gave up the lands in the belief that they would be used for the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Science, Iyin-Ekiti, FUTES.
The families, during a protest in Iyin-Ekiti, alleged that its members were not notified before bulldozers moved onto their lands at Ijumu Farm Settlement, destroying farmlands containing economic trees, including cocoa and kolanut, which they said were worth millions of naira.
Reading a statement on behalf of the families, its representatives said they gave up the lands believing it was needed for the university project but later became concerned over allegations that plots were being resold to private individuals for as much as N5 million each for the construction of private hostels.
They alleged that Mrs. Titi Oladapo and Mr. Abayomi Ogundipe, popularly known as Agarawu, were involved in the payment of N50,000 per plot through the Oluyin’s Palace, claiming that the payment was made on the understanding that the lands would be used for the university.
The protesters further alleged that the two individuals were using the name of Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, as a decoy in their dealings over the lands.
They said their respective families surrendered its farmlands because it believed the lands would serve a public educational purpose, adding that the alleged resale of the plots to private individuals for commercial development had raised questions about the original understanding under which the lands were given up.
The families said the affected farmlands contained economic trees, particularly cocoa and kolanut, whose value it estimated at millions of naira. It described the N50,000 paid per plot as grossly inadequate in view of the value of the lands and the economic crops lost.
According to the families, its members were not given prior notice before the bulldozing commenced.
They said it was only after approaching the relevant persons to seek clarification that they were informed that the lands were needed for the university.
The protesters called on the relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the use of the land, demanding clarification on why plots reportedly given up for a university project were allegedly being resold to private individuals for hostel construction.
They also called for an explanation of the arrangements under which the lands were handed over, the basis for the payments made to the families and whether the alleged subsequent transactions were consistent with the purpose for which the land was given up.
The families stressed that it was not opposed to the establishment of the university or development in Iyin-Ekiti but insisted that such projects must respect the rights and interests of families whose ancestral lands were involved.
The protesters appealed to the Federal and Ekiti State Governments and the university management to intervene, investigate the allegations and ensure that the matter was resolved fairly.
They said they were pursuing the matter through peaceful and lawful means, stressing that their demands were for justice, transparency and accountability.
