…as KWSG summons 4 monarchs
By Mumini AbdulKareem
Panic broke out on Sunday in Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State following the death of two persons as a result of disagreement over the celebration of a masquerade festival among some communities.
The incident which is coming less than two years after a similar occurrence reportedly led to sporadic shooting and destruction of properties among Igbede, Kajola, Ikotun and Owa districts in Odo-Owa.
The development is coming just as the state government yesterday summoned two of the affected communities to get to the root of the matter. The remaining two have been invited to appear at the Office of the Special Adviser on Conflict Resolution today.
The communities have been at loggerheads for years over the timing and propriety of the celebration of the festival and dispute over claims of land ownership
But narrating his experience, one of the affected monarchs and the Osolo of Igbede, Oba Johnson Jide Aina said he hope government will look into the matter with a view to bringing the culprits to book.
“This issue has been on now and this time around, we have not even fixed the date of our Egungun festival but on the day Odo-Owa festival was supposed to end, their masquerade moved round other communities with impunity despite the fact that we had written to the police DPO and Area Commander to forewarn of consequence from such action.
“Some days later one Tunde Agoro recruited Pawo Alabi who runs an illegal bear parlour and joined with Ikotun and Odo-Owa people to attack us in Igbede. The first day, they destroyed properties; wounded many people and killed one person. They came within my premises to ostensibly destroyed my house and attack. They killed one Emmanule Akinola, the son of Chief Akinola Elema who is just entering the tertiary institution.
“I have always persuaded my people to maintain peace but we cannot always be on the receiving end and we hope government will look into the matter with a view to bringing the culprits to book. And more so warn the Olota to desist from letting the blood of innocent people especially from my community and others”.
I have been under very intense pressure and on Tuesday we have to stay indoor to pacify our people not to engage in retaliatory warfare”, he submitted.
Effort to get the reaction of the Olota, Oba Joshua Adeyemi Adimula on the issue was not successful as his phone was switched off. Text message sent to his mobile phone was still been awaited before this paper went to bed.
The Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi said seven people have so far been arrested in relation to the incident adding that the Commissioner of Police, Kayode Egbetokun had already visited the scene of the incident.
“The Command deployed apart from the conventional policemen, detachment of Mobile policemen from Offa and Ilorin to restore normalcy. Suspects were arrested and the Commissioner of Police personally visited the scene where all the traditional rulers within the affected communities were called to a meeting and were told of the need for peaceful coexistence”, the police spokesperson noted in a text message sent to this reporter Wednesday.
According to the Special Adviser on Conflict Resolution, Umar Balogun, government would not condone any act of lawlessness but will do everything to ensure further escalation of the conflict.
Balogun who regretted the number of casualties noted that “Usually, what my office do is to use alternative dispute resolution in resolving the conflict and see how to forestall unity among Kajola, Igbede, Ikotun and Odo-Owa communities,
“We need to hear from all parties concerned to be able to take a decisive step. We have been very much involved in the case and liaising with the police and other security agencies to restore normalcy. Bit talk is still ongoing. We quickly moved in to stop the crisis because we would not condone any act of lawlessness. Lives have already been lost but we cannot continue with that and we have to see how to avoid further escalation of the conflict.”
