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The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has warned of a potential communal crisis between Osun and Oyo States over what he described as troubling developments surrounding disputed boundary lines.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his spokesman, Alli Ibraheem, the monarch alleged that moves were underway to annex portions of Osun territory around the Iwo axis to the Lagelu area of Oyo State.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately set up an independent inquiry to examine the matter.
Oba Akanbi expressed concern that failure to urgently address the situation could heighten existing tensions among residents of the affected communities.
He claimed there were signs of attempts to alter the historical status of villages under Iwo land, a move he said had already caused anxiety and resentment among locals.
According to him, many residents were still grappling with the aftermath of previous clashes, including an incident in April where three people reportedly died during confrontations involving land interests linked to Offa and Lagelu.
The monarch said families of the victims had approached him seeking direction and he advised them against retaliatory actions, urging them instead to pursue legal remedies.
He disclosed that he assured them an unbiased assessment would be conducted by the National Boundary Commission.
However, he raised concerns about the integrity of the process, alleging that key historical documents submitted by Osun authorities appeared to be missing.
He insisted that the communities in question have long-established ties to Osun State, citing existing schools, hospitals, and polling units as proof of their administrative alignment.
Oba Akanbi appealed to Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to step in promptly, and called on security agencies and state officials to take proactive measures to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
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