Date: 2018-12-31

There is palpable tension in Offa and Erin-Ile communities of Kwara State over a land dispute, which in the past resulted in loss of lives and property.

It was gathered that the Erinle-Ile community had vowed to implement a 45-year-old judgment of the Supreme Court, while the Offa community was opposed to the idea.

The present action of the Erin-Ile community follows the judgment of the Supreme Court on December 14, 2018, which affirmed its earlier decision of December 10, 1973, that the parcel of land that formed the boundary between the two communities belonged to Erin-Ile.

If executed, the judgment will affect the piece of land on which the multi-million naira Offa Descendants’ Union secretariat, a hotel, some residential buildings and some Federal Government institutions, including the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, are sited.

As a result, the ODU has called on the on the Kwara State government to caution the Erin-Ile people as they want to "execute a fake judgment."

In the suit number SC. 516/2012 between Mr Abdulganiyu Adeniran, Mr Abdulateef Aroyehun Lawal (for the Adeniyi Apata family of Offa) versus Elerin of Erin-Ile, Oba Abdulganiyu Ajibola Olusookun 11, five justices of the apex court affirmed the report of the 1973 administrative judicial panel headed by Justice Daramola.

The lead judgment was read by Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili. Other justices who adjudicated the matter were Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, Ejembi Eko, Paul Galumje and Sidi Bage.

Addressing a press conference, the National President of Erin-Ile Progressive Union, Chief Samuel Alabi, said, "We got a Supreme Court judgment on December 10, 1973, confirming the boundary of Erin-Ile as far as the NEPA office, the present Offa Descendants' ' Union secretariat and several other places as belonging to Erin-Ile.

"Thereafter, there had been some administrative interventions to distort the Supreme Court confirmation. Few years, ago, the Offa community and some other individuals in Offa felt they should litigate the resolved boundary.

However, the people of Offa have called on the Kwara State Government to, as a matter of urgency, warn the Erin-Ile community to desist from causing unnecessary tension due to the spread of false claims and reports to unsuspecting members of the public.