By Rotimi Ojomoyela
Ado Ekiti
The Olu-Iye of Iyemero in Ikole local government area of Ekiti state, Oba Agboola Ogungbemi, has dismissed allegation of illegal sale of land and economic trees in the town levelled against him by members of Iyemero Progressive Union, saying they were baseless and unfounded.
Oba Ogungbemi, who made the clarification while speaking with journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday, said the compensation paid by government on the land acquired in the town, was duly shared by the owners, saying the modality of sharing was not coordinated by the palace or his council.
It would be recalled that the IPU, led by its National Chairman, Mr Lawrence Fatoyinbo, had last Saturday protested and accused the king of forcefully seizing their lands, engaging in harassment and illegal detention of indigenes and deprivation of some chiefs of their monthly entitlements.
Ogungbemi debunked all the allegations, saying that they were concocted by his traducers to tarnish his image and pitch him against his subjects.
The traditional prime minister of the community, Chief Samuel Adebiyi, described the crisis in the town as “a conspiracy” orchestrated and contrived by few aggrieved individuals who were desperately working for the Oba’s deposition.
Adebiyi, the Aro of Iyemero, said “government doesn’t pay compensation for a land taken from any community, but they used to pay compensation for the damaged crops and economic trees.”
Ogungbemi said contrary to the allegation being peddled by his traducers, he had attracted 20 development projects to the community through his personal efforts and interaction with Ekiti state government since his ascension onto the throne.