Peace Returns To Ofada

Calm has returned to the Nigerian town of Ofada  in Obafemi-Owode Local Government, Ogun State, after the crisis that engulfed the place as a result of land ownership tussle.

Many tenants and land owners  had been chased away by some trespassers who claimed to own the land. Those who  were chased out by trespassers have reclaimed their property.

At a press briefing also attended by Mr Richard Abayomi and Madam Modupe Fletcher (JP), the head of the Fletcher family, Madam Patience Aduke Fletcher, 80, told P.M.News: “Ofada town is now peaceful; there is no rancour, we are acting legally on our judicially confirmed ownership of Ofada land as ordered by the Owode Customary Court suit no. 119/1959 and the High court judgement of Ogun State suit no. AB237/2008, by justice N.I Saula, delivered on October 24, 2011 and March 14, 2012 respectively.

“We implore tenants and those who bought lands here to come forward to the family agents, Walgro Communication Global Company,  led by Chief Kenny Taiwo or the solicitor to the family, Barrister Adekunle Olufunmilayo, with their receipts to reclaim their property. There is no more threat to lives. The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar and the Alake of Egba-land, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, have waded into the matter,” he said.

History has it that Ofada land belongs to the Fletcher family.

According to historical documents, Ofada was founded by the late Bishop Soremekun Fletcher, an Igbein indigene, who, during the Slave Trade,  was captured as slave and taken to Sierra-Leone. When the illicit trade was abolished, he regained his freedom and came back to Abeokuta with a copy of the Bible and some grains of rice which he planted.

Because of his new found faith, Christianity, and in order not to fall in conflict with adherents of other faiths, he founded and relocated to the present site of Ofada with his two brothers. When his brothers refused to do away with masquerade practices, he chased them away with his sword. One ran to Abaren, under Aren tree and the other relocated to Asa village. The town, Ofada, meaning, The drawer of sword”, derived its name from this incidence.

—Oluwole Adeboye