Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye, Oba Abdul Rasak Adesina Adenugba (Okokodanameji II) and some communities in the historic town are embroiled in a tussle over allegations of land-grabbing, intimidation and harassment.
The affected communities within Ago-Iwoye in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, had, on Saturday, 25 October, 2025, addressed a press conference in Ibadan, Oyo State where they made the allegations against the traditional ruler.
However, Oba Adenugba, in his reaction, described all the allegations as baseless and without facts, and threatened to sue his accusers.
He also presented video and other documented evidence, including a land survey done by one of his predecessors to back up his assertions that the aggrieved communities were wrong with their allegations.
The affected communities, represented by the Iwoye United Kingdoms (IUK), had issued a communique after the press conference.
They alleged that the Ebumawe was involved in land-grabbing, and was using of cult groups to intimidate and harass members of the affected communities.
IUK in the communique, signed by 13 of its members and representatives from nine historical kingdoms that made up Ago-Iwoye, painted a picture of a community under siege, with its land and livelihoods threatened.
The 13 signatories are Mr Segun Banjo (Baale, Moborode Aba Paanu); S. O. Balogun (Moborode Aba Paanu); Yomi Banjo (Moborode Aba Paanu); Kolawole Banjo (Igan Aba Paanu); Tola Adenowo (Idode Kingdom); Mrs Christiana Onanuga (Olori Ebi, Moborode Aba Paanu);
Segun Onasote (Idode Kingdom Laagan); Alli Omolara (Igan Aba Paanu); Osigbolade Mojeed (Ita Omo); Professor Adefala Adeniyi (Isamuro Kingdom); Idowu Jibodu (Isamuro Kingdom); Bamwo Oluseyi (Igan Kingdom Laagan); and Nimota Alli (Igan Kingdom Aba Paanu).
The Bones Of Contention
Allegation of land-grabbing is the core issue in the communique as the IUK detailed its accusations of land-grabbing against the Ebumawe.
As stated in the communique, Oba Adenugba allegedly seized land belonging to various families and villages within and around Ago-Iwoye, with the specific examples cited. The parcels of land included:
Ayere/Owode/Okebiri Land: IUK stated that the Ebumawe bulldozed 154 acres of farmland, thereby destroying the means of livelihood of the people, including food crops and cash crops worth ₦60 million.
Moborode Aba Paanu: An estimated 600 acres of farmland in Moborode Aba Paanu were allegedly bulldozed by the Ebumawe as the IUK asserted that the land has been sold to an agricultural company.
Dairo Ancestral Family Land: The IUK stated in the communique that the Dairo ancestral family farmland has been forcefully taken over by the traditional ruler.
Oniyangi Village: All the kolanut trees and cocoa plantations on 205 acres of land were allegedly destroyed.
Oke Erigba (Meleki Land): It was stated that Oba Adenugba bulldozed the land at Oke Erigba, despite attempts by the family to halt the activity with a signpost. IUK further alleged that threats were made by the traditional ruler to the head of the family.
Ita Omo village (Ayansigoye Family Land): As stated in the communique, the land was bulldozed, allegedly on the instruction of the Ebumawe, and crops worth ₦24 million were destroyed. It was stated that the case is already in court.
Lagan Onigbagbo Village: Detailed accounts of the alleged attempts of the Ebumawe to acquire land in Lagan Onigbagbo Village and its environs, offering land to a church investor for mega settlements, a replica of Redeemed Camp on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.
Alleged Use Of DSS, Cult Groups For Intimidation And Harassment
Beyond the allegations of land grabbing, the communique also accuses the Ebumawe of using intimidation and threats to silence dissent.
The signatories of the communique accused Oba Adenugba of threatening their community members, issuing warnings, and inviting the Department of State Services (DSS).
The communique also claimed that there an alleged meeting with the Ebumawe and Otunba Sapenuwa, where Dr Onasote was threatened.
It was claimed that the traditional ruler is fond of financing cult groups and using them to harass, intimidate and suppress members of the affected communities.
Response Of The Ebumawe
The seriousness of the allegations against the traditional ruler necessitated a visit by the Press to the Ebumawe Palace in Ago-Iwoye to hear his own side of the story.
Oba Adenugba vehemently denied the allegations of land grabbing and authoritarian practices, and challenged the aggrieved communities to approach the court, if they have any concrete evidence against him.
In an interview, the Ebumawe dismissed the claims as lies and cheap blackmail as he enumerated his commitment to the development of Ago-Iwoye.
“They are just lying,” the Ebumawe declared, emphasising his efforts to protect land ownership. He pointed to his legal personal land acquisition, stating that he always compensates landowners, adding he was committed to fostering development.
“Awori, Okerigba, is the land I inherited from my grandfather. That is my dad’s village. And when our fathers died, the village was about to become moribund.
“When I looked up, thinking of what I could do, I saw one of my children, who is very good at agriculture, take charge of the land. While I was trying to restructure the village, we had to make sure people were there.
“I even had to go to Cotonou in the Benin Republic to bring people to farm there. I have a cocoa plantation there. The Ogun State Bureau of Land has granted the boy (the investor) what he wanted to do there because it is for exportation.
“On this issue of land-grabbing, I look at myself. I don’t collect lands for free. As we speak, there is a half plot beside my land. I asked the owner how much he wanted to sell it. And I ordered the payment of his money immediately. That is why he gets along with me easily, because all the land in Ago-Iwoye has owners.
“They are just lying. They went to report at the police station. I was here. If anything wants to happens, I will ask my chiefs to go and verify. And they cleared the matter. I also asked them to go to the police station to make a statement, which they did.
“One of them was summoned by the police to come and defend himself, but he ran away. The next thing, he sued me. He first sued me at the Customary Court. My chiefs were there to represent me, but he didn’t show up.
“From there, he took the case to Abeokuta, but the case was referred back to Ijebu-Igbo, and they said my lawyer could appear for me. The next sitting is on December 3rd,” he said.
The Ebumawe also spoke on his alleged involvement in land-grabbing at Ayere, where he was said to have bulldozed food and cash crops worth ₦60 million, wiped off on 154 acres of land.
He said: “The founder of Ibidagba is from Anikilaya in Ijebu-Ode. When someone is Omo Awujale, he cannot just take one plot; they have to take two plots, at least.
“Such an omo Awujale gave lands to all his followers to farm, though without a written document. That is what most of them are now claiming to be theirs.
“There were no cash crops on the land (he showed a video of when the land was bulldozed), as you can see in this video…no cocoa, or deity there.
“I have all the evidence to prove the real ownership of the land, and the state of the land when it was bulldozed. The land in question does not belong to Ago-Iwoye.”
On the alleged bulldozing of 600 acres of farmland at the Dairo ancestral family farmland at Moborode, Aba Paanu, Oba Adenugba said: “The case is in court, but I will talk for the sake of clarification.
“One, they don’t have any evidence. You see, in Nigeria today, the quickest business one can do to make money is land. That was why the government created an anti-land-grabbing unit to treat land-related issues.
“Police are not even allowed to meddle in it. The Magistrate Court cannot even handle such cases, but by the Customary Court. That is why it is referred to as multidoor.
“Secondly, no land in Aba Paanu exceeds 600 acres. One of my predecessors had done a survey as far back as 1980, when I was not yet a king.
“The survey showed landed properties said to belong to the Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye along Ijebu-Ode/Ibadan Road, Oko Oba, Awori Community via Ago Iwoye. Aba Paanu is not there.
On Allegation Of Using DSS, Thugs, Cultists
The Ebumawe denied the allegation, declaring that it would be demeaning for him to be using thugs and cultists to oppress and suppress his people, and threatened to sue his accusers for defamation.
“This is a clear case of defamation. I will sue them because they have to produce evidence of how I used thugs or cult group members to harass or attack them.
“They went to Agidigbo FM in Ibadan, on this Ayere matter, alleging me of grabbing their lands and farms. I didn’t answer them. They also went to Eagle FM at Ilese-Ijebu, but I didn’t answer them. The next thing is that they took me to Eleweran at Abeokuta.
“The Police came to investigate me. Their lawyer now requested that the case be transferred to Zone 2. At the end of the day, I was asked to go back to the palace, and they came to interrogate me, and I debunked it. The next thing, they took me to court again.
“This case is in court at the moment. If they have all the necessary documents, they should meet me in court. Why are they blackmailing me?”
Some chiefs and other personalities also spoke on defence of the Ebumawe, affirming his innocence in respect of the allegations leveled against him.
They included Prince Jimoh Olukorede Safiriyu, a retired Head of Local Government/Officer in charge of Chietaincy who was also part of the selection process that produced Oba Adenugba as the Ebumawe of Ago-Iwoye.
Also present at the interview with the Ebumawe was Engineer Tajudeen Arowolo: A member of the Ebumawe-in-Council and Head, Imosu Community, one of the nine quarters.
Prince Dele Ajayi, the Mogaji of Paripete Ruling House in Ibipe, also debunked the allegation that some parts of the land at Ayere have been sold by the Ebumawe to Fulani herders.
Rather, he said, what the community was doing was to ensure a peaceful and harmonious relationship with the Hausa and Fulani elements who are strangers in Ago-Iwoye.
“We are working together with the Fulani and Hausa. And since they have been here, there has not been any quarrel. We are living like a family here. There is no day that we ever sold a foot of land to the Fulani.
Role Of Ogun State Government
The IUK stated that a copy of the communique was addressed and sent to the Ogun State government, calling on it to intervene and address the situation.
Also copied were the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Ijebu Traditional Council, Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chairman of Ijebu North Local Government Area, and Commissioner of the Ogun State Police Command.
As of the time of this report, there has not been an official response by the state government to the communique.
However, there are suggestions that the state government is closely monitoring the situation and is considering a range of options, including mediation and investigation.
