Ondo residents protest land grabbing

Residents and farmers at Ipinlerere Camp in Owena, Ayetoro area of Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State, have staged a peaceful protest over what they described as an attempted takeover of their farmlands by alleged land grabbers.

The protesters, who gathered in large numbers, chanted slogans expressing their dependence on the land for survival, insisting that farming remains their only means of livelihood. They appealed to the government to allow them remain on their farms, stressing that they have no alternative source of income.

“We feed our children from this farm; we don’t want to resort to stealing,” the protesters chanted. “Government should allow us to remain here and continue farming.”

Speaking during the protest, a farmer, Okoze Isaac, said he had lived and farmed in the community for over five decades.

“I came to Owena, Ayetoro in Idanre Local Government in 1972. Back then, this whole place was known as Ipinlerere. This place belongs to Idanre. I have never heard that Akure owns this farmland,” he said.

According to him, the community comprises several farming camps whose residents depend entirely on agriculture for survival.

“We have been here working, buying farmland, and feeding from it. There are more than six camps spread across this area. But now, some people have come to drive us away from the land where we earn our living,” he added.

Isaac alleged that the situation escalated when unknown individuals arrived with heavy equipment to clear the land.

“They brought bulldozers to clear everything. Despite this, we are not fighting violently. Our struggle is peaceful we are demonstrating peacefully,” he said.

He further appealed to authorities to intervene urgently, warning of dire consequences if the farmers are displaced.

“When someone is driven away from the place they depend on for food, it can lead to death. How are we supposed to survive? We are pleading with the government to tell the King of Akure to leave our farms for us so that we can continue to feed our children,” he said.

Another resident, Akinsola Akintan described the situation as unfortunate and called for immediate government intervention.

“I live and work in this state, and I reside here in Ayetoro, Owena. It is quite unfortunate seeing this kind of scenario happening here,” he said.

“They might be helpless, but the next to God is the government. These people depend on this land to feed their families and train their children in the university.”

Akintan also raised concerns about the broader impact of the alleged land takeover, noting that the community plays a significant role in local electoral participation.

“When you look at this area, especially Ward 10 in Ipinlerere , the votes coming from here are even beyond what you get in the cities. During campaigns, politicians troop here because of the value of these people,” he said.

He warned that displacement could worsen poverty and disrupt the future of many families.

“Many people are already falling ill due to what is happening. Their children may drop out of school. This land is their future, it was handed down by their forefathers,” he added.

Also speaking, a community member, Dele Akindojuromi, said the land has been in their lineage for generations.

“We grew up here. This is the land of my great-grandfather. This is Ipinlerere, Ayetoro, Idanre. We just observed that some people came to measure our land. They said the King of Akure sent them,” he said.

“We thought it was a joke, but before we knew it, they were all over the land. We told them the land belongs to Idanre. We are begging the government—we inherited this land and we feed our children from it.”

The protesters, however, called on the Ondo State Government to urgently investigate the matter and protect their ancestral lands from what they described as unlawful encroachment.