Osun Assembly wades into Fountain University, host community land tussle

The State of Osun House of Assembly has waded into the land tussle between the Fountain University, Osogbo and land owners in the host Koba-Ope community at Oke-Osun area, appealing to the two parties to allow peace to reign.

In a statement by the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, the intervention followed the cries of the residents of the community, alleging that the university authority had encroached into their land and captured their houses in the newly constructed fence of the university, without giving them access road to go into their houses.

At a meeting with stakeholders on Tuesday, the deputy speaker, Honourable Akintunde Adegboye; Majority Leaders, Timothy Owoeye and Chairman, House Committee on Land and Physical Planning, Adebisi Nurein among other members, according to the statement, appealed to parties to shift ground for the sake of peace.

The statement said, Mr Semiu Alajo while speaking on behalf of the six families affected by the land tussle, said, inspite the fact that the university has been sued and the case was still pending in court, the management of the institution went ahead to construct fence without giving them access to their houses.

It added that Alajo lamented that with the present situation, it has been difficult for the residents of the community to access their house, a situation, which he said has been forcing some of them to climb fences before they could enter their houses.

“Alajo also alleged the university authority of hiring thugs to harass them in their various houses over the land tussle, saying the action of the institution could trigger uncontrollable violence in the community and beyond.

“He then urged the Assembly to come in and assist in resolving the issue before it degenerates to the level of exposing the peoples’ lives to danger.

Another resident, Imam AbdulKabir Adepoju, according to the statement, said the residents of the community have resolved to take destiny into their hands and fight their course in their own way.

Noting that the land belong to the respective community members through inheritance, he said the land owners would not trade off their inheritance under whatever circumstance.

In defence, the Pro-Chancellor of the university, Professor Isiaq Oloyede reportedly said the university has not gone beyond its boundary, saying it only started fencing the areas on which it was issued Certificate of Occupancy by the government.

He contended that the fencing of the land was being carried out by the university authority to ensure the security of life and properties of students in their hostels.

According to him, since the case was already in court, it would be inappropriate to begin to discuss it, saying, it would run foul of the law and the principle of separation of power.

Also speaking, the National President, Osogbo Progressive Union (OPU), Chief Rasak Siyanbola said the union has waded into the crisis, all to no avail.

He appealed to the warring parties to further shift ground with a view to ensuring that the ongoing peaceful coexistence in the community was not truncated.

While speaking, Adegboye, according to the statement, said, though, the case was in court and no step could be taken on it, but the Assembly decided to wade in for the two parties to allow peace to reign.

Also, Owoeye, Chairman and other members of the committee on land appealed to the parties to find a way of resolving the issue amicably, rather than resorting to violence.

They appealed to the university to find a way of creating access road that would enable the residents access their homes conveniently.