By Abidemi Samuel
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The Egba/Egbado Gbalefa Traditional Council has raised an alarm over the alleged invasion of their lands by the Olota of Ota, Prof. Kabiru Adeyemi Obalanlege. The council, which represents 62 towns and villages in the Gbalefa Peninsula, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, accused the Olota of installing Baales in areas outside his jurisdiction.
According to the council’s secretary, Chief Olaniyi Mosaku, the Olota’s actions are capable of disrupting public peace and causing unrest in the area. Mosaku alleged that the Olota had installed Baales in areas where there are existing Baales of Yewa and Egba extractions outside his jurisdiction.
The council also alleged that thugs and land grabbers, backed by the Olota, had driven out indigenous people who had farms and forcibly seized their lands. They claimed that the Olota’s goal was to acquire land for personal benefits.
The council appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to intervene in the matter, stating that they had sent several letters to the state assembly and the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, but had received no response.
However, the Olota of Ota, Prof. Kabiru Adeyemi Obalanlege, denied the allegations, stating that there was no such thing as Gbalefa in Ogun State. He alleged that the complainants were being used by their traditional rulers to cause unrest and create a toxic environment for the peace-loving Ota-Awori people.
The Olota maintained that the land in question belonged to the Ota people and that the complainants were not Baales, but rather guests who had come to farm on their land. He emphasized that the court had already ruled that there was no such thing as Gbalefa, and that the government had made it clear that the area was part of Otaland.
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