Alleged Itsekiri Encroachment: Odun Ebiwonjumi Residents Seek Ondo Govt Protection

Residents of Odun Ebiwonjumi in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have raised the alarm over alleged encroachment on their ancestral land by some Itsekiri communities, urging the Federal and state governments to urgently intervene to prevent the dispute from degenerating into violence.

The residents made the call during a peaceful protest in the coastal community on Thursday, displaying placards demanding the protection of their ancestral land and immediate government intervention.

The protest followed moves to construct a concrete jetty in the area by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), which the residents said had heightened tensions over ownership and identity.

Speaking on behalf of the community, an indigene, Busayo Ebiniyi, said the Ilaje people and their Itsekiri neighbours had enjoyed decades of peaceful relations through trade, friendship and intermarriage.

According to him, despite the cordial relationship, Odun Ebiwonjumi remains an ancestral settlement in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, with its people historically identifying with the state and Ugbo Kingdom.

Ebiniyi said the community’s ancestral identity and ownership had been handed down through generations, insisting that the people would not surrender their heritage.

He alleged that the dispute extended beyond Odun Ebiwonjumi to other coastal settlements, including Odun Makin, Ilu Titun, Odun Odunjo, Odun Maha, Eke Nla, Eke Kekere, Ubajakere, Eke Itiola, Odun Okoro, Odun Yonren, Odun Beku, Odun Ogungbeje, Odun Oyinbo, Odun Oriretan, Ubale Kekere, Ubale Nla, Ikuyinminu and Odun Igo.

The community described the settlements as distinct Ilaje oil-producing communities that had historically operated independently.

Ebiniyi appealed to the Ondo and Delta State governments, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to urgently intervene through dialogue.

“We want to plead with the governments of Ondo and Delta states to go all out for government-to-government agreements and assemble elders of both Ilaje and Itsekiri communities so that we will be able to dialogue on the essence of peace rather than war,” he said.

He stressed that the community remained committed to peace but would not accept intimidation or suppression.

Another community leader, Hon. Olumide Ebiwonjumi, maintained that Odun Ebiwonjumi was located in Ondo State and fell under Ilaje Local Government Area and Ugbo Kingdom.

He said the affected communities had previously been represented in oil-producing community associations, including the Ultimate Oil Producing Community Association and the Ilaje Eight United Oil Producing Communities Association, before the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act.

Olumide also cited the presence of government projects and political structures administered by Ondo State as evidence of the community’s longstanding relationship with the state.

The Baale of Odun Ebiwonjumi, Chief Orimisan Ebiwonjumi, son of the late Baale, Chief Ephenus Menukanren Ebiwonjumi, also reaffirmed the community’s position.

He appealed to the Ondo State Government not to abandon the community, citing projects executed in the area by successive administrations.

The traditional ruler further alleged that residents of six Itsekiri communities recently entered Odun Ebiwonjumi with arms and ammunition while laying claim to the area.

He called for the provision of basic amenities, including potable water, healthcare facilities, housing, solar power and a signpost clearly identifying the community as part of Ondo State.

The leaders alleged that the renewed disagreement was partly connected to the presence of crude oil resources in the area.

While insisting on a peaceful resolution, Chief Ebiwonjumi warned that the community would resist any attempt to dispossess its people of their ancestral land.

He urged the Federal Government, Ondo and Delta State governments and traditional institutions to act swiftly, warning that failure to resolve the dispute could heighten tension in the coastal communities.

The residents therefore called for government-to-government dialogue and the involvement of elders and traditional rulers from both Ilaje and Itsekiri communities, stressing that peaceful engagement remained the best way to protect lives, property and the longstanding relationship between the two peoples.