Alleged Land Grabbing: Iware Ruling House Cries Out To Makinde, Urges Gov To Prevail On Rasheed Adetunji For Illegal Claim of 200 Acres Of Land

The Oyerinade Ruling House of Iware in Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State has appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde and good people of the state to caution one Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji, who, they said, has been parading himself as Oniware of Iware.

The individual in question has also been alleged to have sold 200 acres of land, which is said to be the property and common patrimony of the Iware people for a sum of a million.

The ruling house also accused him of attempting to sell the whole of Iware,  “which is the sole aim of his parading himself as the Oniware of Iware since his purported installation by some servants from the Late Alaafin of Oyo in March 2020 during the Covid 19 Pandenmic when everywhere was under lockdown.”

The appeal was made in a press statement signed by 11 members of Oyerinade Ruling House of Oniware of Iware including Pa Akinade Adejare Ifekunle,  and Princes Babatunde Adegboye, Adeyemi Adedibu Olumide, Ajibade Oladimeji, Ajibade Olutayo, and Aderibigbe Olufemi.

Others in the list are Miss Adedigba Ronke, Mr. Ademola  Muyiwa as well as Princesses Akinola Oyenike, Ajibade Folashade, and Ajibade Mojisola.

The press statement read in part: “People of Iware Community, a town in Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State are crying out to His Excellency Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, and good people of Oyo State to save our Soul from Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji who has been parading himself as Oniware of Iware for selling 200 Acres of Land which is the property and common patrimony of Iware people for a sum of 70 Million Naira and he is attempting to sell the whole of Iware which is the sole aim of his parading himself as the Oniware of aware since his purported installation by some Servants from the Late Alaafin of Oyo in March 2020 during the Covid 19 Pandenmic when everywhere was under lockdown.

“Following the death of the immediate Past Oniware of Iware – Oba Emmanuel Osuolale Ajibade Ifekunle, the Oniware stool of Oniware of iware became vacant. It should be noted that the Oniware Ruling House which is Oyeriande (but wrongly written in the 1957 Oniware declaration as Oyerinde comprises four (4) Sections viz: Adetunji Section, Ifekunle Section, Adeife Section, and 4. Opafunmilayo Section;

“There were attempts to fill the vacant stool through the back door which led to the filing of suit number HOY/16/2018 – Chief Kayode Sangotoki v Governor of Oyo & 9 Others which is still pending in High Court Oyo Judicial Division;

“That during the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji claimed he was installed as Oniware of Iware by some servants of the late Alaafin of Oyo.

“The purported installation led to the institution of another case  whSuitsSuit No HOY/8/2020 Prince Babatunde Adeife & Anor v Governor Oyo State & 5 Ors which is also pending in High Court No 1, Oyo Judicial Division

“That despite the pendency of the above name cases Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji has been parading himself as the Oniware of Iware

“That it has just come to the attention of people of the Iware community that Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji has sold 200 Acres of Iware land for the sum of 70 million Naira (see the attached Land Agreement executed by him) and that he is making further attempts to sell more land. Three (3) Sections – Ifekunle section, Adeife Section, and 4. Opafunmilayo Section out of the Four Sections of the Oniware Chieftaincy family are not in support of any sales of Land;

“That it has become manifest and obvious that the aim of  Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji for parading himself as Oniware of Iware is to sell the common Patrimony of Iware People

“That Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji has been creating non-existent Baale chieftaincy titles to assist him in selling Iware Land.

“That he has recently created and installed many people as Baale in Iware contrary to the custom and Tradition of Iware and without the approval of the Governor of Oyo State solely to assist him in selling Iware land.

“That he has installed Lukman Anwo as Baale Ayedade Iware, Alh. Rauf Shittu (Sangosanra) as Baale Araromi Iware, Gbade Akinwole as Baale Papa, Iware, and just a few days ago he installed Sikiru Alausa as Baale Ajegunle, Iware just to get people that will be assisting him in selling Iware Land. To buttress this assertion, See No. 2 witness in the attached   Land agreement where Alh. Rauf Shittu-Baale Araromi served as a witness in the sales of the 200 Acres of land for 70 Million – A case HOY/1/2024 has been instituted in the High Court to determine whether Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji has the power to install those people as Baale

“We believe that Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji and his newly installed Chiefs (Baales and Honourary Chiefs) colluded together to sell Iware land and share the money!

“That the whole Iware land is under the imminent danger of being sold off by Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji and his Baale & Honourary Chiefs thereby leaving Iware and his people without any land which is our common patrimony handed down to us by our forefathers.

“That Iware People had written many letters to the Governor of Oyo State, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters as well as the Chairman of AFIJIO Local Government to stop recognizing Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji as Oniware of Iware and presented so many facts before the court in the pending cases but Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji is still parading himself as Oniware of iware and selling Iware land despite the ongoing cases in the Court of Law.

“That we hereby warn the general Public and good people of Nigeria to stop buying Iware land from Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji and his Chiefs because they have no right to sell the common patrimony of iware People and that whoever buys such land buys it at his or her own risk!

“We hereby call on His Excellency, Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde – the Governor of Oyo State and good people of Oyo State to save our soul from Rasheed Adeniyi Owoade Adetunji and his Baales as they are adamant in selling Oniware people common patrimony and share the money.”