News in brief:
– 24,000 farmers in Ago-Owu, Osun State, fear eviction as the government permits mineral exploration on farmlands.
– Farmers urge Governor Adeleke to halt mining plans and honour their 99-year land use agreement with the state.
No fewer than 24,000 farmers in the Ago-Owu Farm Settlement, Osun State, have appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke to intervene and stop an alleged plan to cede part of their farmland to miners.
The farmers, who spoke through their President, Mr. Adebanji Obembe, expressed fears that the planned mining activities, if allowed, could lead to their forceful eviction and loss of livelihood.
Letter allegedly permits mineral exploration
Obembe revealed that the farmers possessed a letter purportedly signed by the Special Adviser to the State Government on Mining and Minerals, Mr. Lukman Jimoda, granting permission to a private company to conduct testing and exploration within the farm settlement.
He stated that any mining activity on their land would breach an earlier agreement with the state government, which granted them rights to use the land for 99 years.
“The Ago-Owu of today has increased from 4,676 hectares at inception to 16,000 hectares, and the population has grown to 24,000 from 2,000,” he noted.
The settlers’ only means of survival
According to Obembe, the farm settlement is home to a mix of retirees and unemployed youths, many of whom are graduates who turned to farming as a means of survival in the face of limited job opportunities.
“Seventy per cent of the population in the settlement are youths… The rest are retirees who have invested their life savings in farming,” he said.
He warned that the disruption of their activities could lead to a rise in poverty, criminality, and even death among displaced farmers.
Call for urgent intervention
Obembe pleaded with Governor Adeleke, Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, and other stakeholders to halt the planned mining activities and respect the existing agreement with the settlers.
“The agreement we had with the state government is for 99 years and must be respected,” he insisted.
Government promises to protect farmers’ interests
In response, the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, acknowledged that testing was being conducted on some parts of the land to confirm the presence of mineral deposits. However, he assured that no mining would occur without proper procedures and compensation.
“No activity has taken place yet… If mining is eventually approved, all affected farmers will receive adequate compensation,” he said.
Alimi urged the settlers to remain calm and to report any unauthorised mining activity directly to the state government.
