One Dead As Land Grabbers Threaten Farmers In Osun

Yusuf Oketola

FARMERS in Iwo local government area of Osun State have called on the State government to intervene in a land dispute between the Alakoko family of Agidi

Feesu and a tradi onal ruler in Iwoland, the Onigege of Igege, Oba Kazeem Adio.

The farmers, during a peaceful protest in Iwo on Tuesday, alleged that land grabbers had invaded their farmlands, a de- velopment that has been preven ng them from farming.

They also accused the land grabbers of vic misa on which has resulted into the death of one of their colleagues, Muslimu Akanbi.

The Alakoko family had alleged Oba Adio of selling their ancestral farmland to real estate developers.

OSUN DEFENDER learnt that a human rights group, Ta’awunu Human Rights Ini a ve

Osun Grove: Beyond The Monumen...

•Continued from page 3 was annoyed by this act, a loud voice came from the river shou ng ‘LARO, TIMEHIN, KILODE TE FO IKOKO ARO MI” (Why did you broke my dye pot). Immediately, voices from the other spirit came out from the forests which empathized with the goddess saying ‘OSO IGBO PELE O”(Spirit of the forest we empathize with you)’. This was the genesis of the circumstance that brought the name ‘Osogbo’ by which the town is known ll date.

The oral account went further to say that Oba Larooye Gbadewolu entered into agreement with Osun goddess on behalf of his people that they would respect and appease the goddess, should the goddess solve their physical and spiritual problems. The goddess (Osun) promised to mul ply them if they would build a shrine for her and that a virgin girl from the royal lineage will be bringing sacrifice to her during the celebra on of the agreement. This singular act of propi a on is now celebrated worldwide as Osun fes val. Larooye and Osogbo people accepted the pact and the promises of Osun goddess materialised. Beyond the monumental cultural heritage of the groove, the grove is blessed with abundant tangible and in-tangible heritages of diverse values among which are:

Historical Value

Osun Osogbo sacred grove is the symbol of the development of Osogbo land from the beginning to the present. The original name of the goddess OSO IGBO (Wizard of the forest) has been the name of the town OSOGBO since then. While the tle of the king ATAOJA was derived from the first spiritual worship of the goddess by the founding king, in return, Osun goddess send one of the messenger to him and the king received the message from Osun messenger called “IKO (Golden fish) with his palm, this act in Yoruba means “ATEWO GBA EJA” which was later coined as ATAOJA to replace the ini al Owaroki a er the ceremonial act.

The root of the town (Osogbo) lay deep in the Grove, which harbors various landmark and features in form of Shrine, Temple, Trees, Animals, Markets and Rocks, places like the first and the second palace and the river. These are s ll ac ve in the spiritual and physical well being of Osogbo people. Apart from regular ac vi es related to the worship of Osun goddess and other Yoruba Gods, the Grove is the place where yearly, the Osogbo community comes to acknowledge the protec on of the Osun Goddess and to renew the pact that they have with her through their par cipa on in the Osun Osogbo Fes val. They bring offering to the goddess and in – turn revive it’s energies and potency, through the collecon of its ‘Water of Life’, while blacks in Diaspora o en come for a pilgrimage back to their root.

Economic Value

The grove, which is mostly kept wild, is both a sanctuary for Osun and other lesser gods that can be consulted for protec on and a natural reserve with full biodiversity that can be used for medicinal purpose. Apart from the revenue generated from the tourists that visit the site, the grove also serves as a source of income genera on for the immediate community, this could be seen through the different business that goes on within the community in which the tourist, visitors and researcher patronized.

Herbal prac oners and tradi onal doctors procure materials for healing and other medicinal applicaons from the large variety of the plant species in the grove, example of this is the herbal prepara on known as ‘SELERU’ which the manufacturer said, fi y percent of the ingredient used for the medicine are from the grove. It is used as a body immune booster. The tradional technology of using indigo dye (JELU), which is, believed to have originated from the goddess, is a flourishing enterprise in Osogbo. Buying and selling is a major a rac on during the fes val, as displaying of good services such as kegs, local fabrics, beads ornament, food and local drinks etc., and also the dancers and drummers engage in what they know best. All these provide employment opportunity and income among the communi es.

The Osun Osogbo sa-

•Read full article on www.osundefender.com

•Femi (Mode) Siyanbola (A Public Affair Analyst ) Writes from Agunbelewo, Osogbo

(THURIST), had pe oned the Department of State Service and the A orney General and Commissioner for Jus ce in the state on the ma er.

The group alerted the state government and DSS of a possible breakdown of law and order if Oba Adio con nued to disobey an injunc on of the Osun State Customary Court which restrained both par es from any use of the said land.

The Director General of the group, Barr Sulaymon Tadese, while speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, expressed dissa sfac on over the acon of the monarch by defying an order of court, saying it amounted to insubordina on.

Speaking on behalf of the Alakoko family, Mr Mojeed Shifahu, alleged that the tradi onal ruler sold a part of the family’s farmland on July 3, and issued a receipt to the buyer despite the court order.

He said: “We abide by the court injunc on restraining both par es from the land, but he (Oba Adio) is s ll selling the land. We told him to bring evidence to support his claim of ownership of the land, but he could not provide any.”

Reac ng to the claim, the monarch denied the allega on, saying “they sold my land. They brought petrol to burn down my palace. They came with 40 motorcycles to a ack me.”