Date: 2018-05-08

The Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi, and the Elerin of Erin-Ile Oba AbdulGaniyu Ajibola Ibrahim, have urged communities in Offa and Oyun councils of Kwara State to embrace peace for the development of Ibolo land.

Oba Gbadamosi and Oba Ibrahim spoke at the opening of a unity football competition, tagged: "Maigida Unity Cup," in Erin-Ile.

Ladorb Peace Initiative, a non-governmental organisation, organised the competition as part of a peace parley between Offa and Erin-Ile.

Both communities had engaged in bloody clashes over the years.

Oba Gbadamosi appealed to his subjects to allow peace reign.

The monarch, who is the secretary of Kwara Traditional Council, appealed to sons and daughters of Ibolo land to eschew violence.

He said: "Our presence at this event is to show our subjects that we are in good terms. You should learn how to co-habit, forget about the past and forge ahead for mutually-beneficial development of our areas.

"God in his wisdom created us together and no community will leave for each other. So we should learn to forget our differences and continue with our legitimate businesses with one another.

"We should be united and ready to address the challenges confronting us as a dialect, and set goals towards ensuring that Ibolo land becomes a force to be reckoned with in Kwara State."

Oba Ibrahim stressed the need for rulers and stakeholders to map out strategies to harness the area's natural resources and strength for socio-economic and political development.

He said they should identify, strengthen and explore the potential of each community and town for the interest of Ibolo land.

The monarch, who hailed the initiator of the peace parley, described the move as a first.

According to him, the initiator has set the pace for others to follow.

He described the parley as a welcome development, explaining that the method adopted is fantastic and in line with best practices.

Oba Ibrahim noted that football is a great unifying factor that knows no tribe or religion.

He urged towns and communities to accept the peace deal with sincerity, forget about the past and move forward for the development of Ibolo land.

Chairman of the initiative Umar Balogun thanked the monarchs, saying their presence at the event would lay to rest negative claims by doubting Thomases.