The Olufon of Ifon in Osun State, Oba Peter Oluwole Ipadeola, Akinyooye III, has waved the olive branch, calling on his subjects, the Ilobu, and Erin-Osun communities to stop hostilities and embrace peace.
Both Ifon and Ilobu communities are locked up in a violent boundary dispute that spread on Saturday to the neighbouring Erin-Osun community.
The royal father in a statement, said: “I use this medium to call on the Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Ashiru Olatoye Olaniyan, and the Elerin of Erin-Osun, Oba Yusuff Omoloye Oyagbodun, to cease all forms of conflict and let us join hands to restore peace and unity in our lands.
“As fathers of our respective domains, the responsibility falls on us to ensure that our people return to the path of harmony, cooperation, and mutual respect.
“No kingdom thrives in the face of strife, and no people develop in the midst of chaos. It is time to end the hostilities and work together as traditional leaders to heal the wounds inflicted by this crisis and guide our people back to peaceful co-existence.
“I appeal to all indigenes of Ifon-Osun, Ilobu, and Erin-Osun, who have been affected and displaced by this unfortunate incident to return home with the spirit of community that we once enjoyed.
“We are bound by history, culture, and kinship; let us not allow conflict to tear us apart. The prosperity of our people depends on our unity. Let us look beyond past grievances, personal greeds and work collectively to rebuild our communities.
“I sincerely appreciate the prompt and passionate intervention of His Excellency, the Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke for taking decisive steps to arrest the situation.
“His leadership at this critical moment is commendable, and I urge the state government to leave no stone unturned in investigating those behind these heinous acts of violence.
“No matter the misinformation or propaganda circulating on the internet, the truth must prevail, and the perpetrators of these evils must be brought to justice. Peace cannot be achieved without justice, and as a people, we must uphold fairness, truth, and accountability.
“I strongly caution those attempting to politicise this communal clash for their selfish interests. Such actions are dangerous, reckless, and a betrayal of the people they claim to serve.
“I warn that anyone found fueling this crisis for political gain will not only be exposed but also face the wrath of God and the full weight of the law.
“I call on security agencies to investigate and bring to book, those who are fanning the flames of discord and destabilisation.
“Our communities deserve peace, not political manipulation.
“I urge every son and daughter of Ifon-Osun, Ilobu, and Erin-Osun to embrace peace, shun violence, and allow normalcy to return to our land.
“No more blood should be shed, no more homes should be destroyed, and no more livelihoods should be lost. Let us replace hostility with dialogue, anger with understanding, and division with unity. We are stronger together.”
Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke has extended the curfew earlier imposed on the two feuding Ifon and Ilobu communities to the neighbouring Erin-Osun as the crisis between the first two neighbours escalate.
Now the curfew is 24 hours daily.
Also the governor has directed all security agencies in the state including the Military, Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp NSCDC, Immigration, NDLEA, and AMOTEKUN among others to extend their security surveillance to the community.
These were in a statement by the Commissioner for Informaation, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, which said: “All the security agencies are to ensure strict compliance to the curfew, which is now 24 hours daily until peace is restored.
“The imposed curfew was necessary to forestall escalation of the crisis and breakdown of law and order due to the communal clashes in the communities.
“His Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke is saddened at the escalation of the communal clashes between Ilobu and Ifon communities.
“To ensure that the crisis is curbed in the environment, the Governor has approved that the curfew be extended to Erin-Osun community and the curfew time is now 24-hours daily, effective immediately (today March 22, 2025) until further notice.”
“Governor Adeleke has further directed that the joint security team comprising the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police, Nigerian Immigration Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NDLEA and AMOTEKUN among others to continue to maintain their usual 24-hour surveillance and forestall breakdown of law and order.
“The Governor expresses his sympathy on lives and property lost in the escalated communal crisis and assures that perpetrators will face the wrath of law.”
“Osun state is a place of peace and harmony, and the government will not allow it to be truncated. This communal clash has to stop now, and we will ensure that it happens.
“I urge everyone to imbibe the ethos of Omoluabi and shun communal crisis, embrace peaceful co-existence as brothers and sisters.”
Also, the Governor’s spokesman, Olawale Rasheed, in a statement, spoke of measures to prevent further spread, saying, “Governor Ademola Adeleke has stepped up conflict de-escalation moves on the Ifon-Ilobu conflict, imposing a 24-hour curfew, mobilising a joint security task force and hosting a peace deal between the two warring communities.”
Quoting the Governor, he said, “We assure the people of Ilobu and Ifon that I am committed to securing their lives and properties. We are on top of the situation.
“Meanwhile, we seek to bring to the attention of the public that opposition elements are circulating old videos of communal conflicts in some parts of Osun state to spread false pictures of insecurity in Osun state.
“While the ongoing conflict is regrettable and while all hands are on deck to stop the violence, we inform the public to take note of the activities of fake news merchants who are digging up old videos to discredit the state government. The videos being circulated of violence in other towns and villages in Osun are fake news and should be disregarded by the members of the public.”
The Ifon and Ilobu communal clashes over boundary dispute escalated on Saturday, spreading to the Erin Osun community.
