Members of the Ajana family in Ikere-Ekiti are at odds with the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adejimi Adu-Alagbado, over 100 hectares of disputed land in Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The family has appealed to the Governor of Ekiti State, Abiodun Oyebanji, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lateef Jakande, and the Chief Judge of Ekiti State to urgently intervene in a land dispute they claim is being fuelled by abuse of traditional authority.
Speaking on behalf of the family, a lawyer, Olajide Ajana, accused the Ajiboye Family of disregarding a court judgment and alleged that the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adejimi Adu-Alagbado, overstepped traditional boundaries in handling the matter.
According to Ajana, the dispute between the two families had already been decided by Justice Fawehinmi of the High Court in Ikere-Ekiti, which ruled on the ownership of the disputed land. Despite the judgment, the Ajana Family claimed that the Ajiboye Family continued to act contrary to the court’s ruling, leading to civil and criminal cases filed in 2022 at both the Magistrates’ and High Courts in Ikere.
While these legal processes were ongoing, the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti reportedly set up palace panels to mediate. In resolutions dated June 30, 2023, and November 20, 2024, the panels upheld the court’s position that the land should be shared between the two families.
However, the Ajana Family said the Ajiboye Family rejected the resolutions outright, insisting that the Ajanans had no claim to the land.
Matters took another turn when, according to the Ajanans, the Ogoga unilaterally announced the transfer of the disputed land to unnamed investors without their consent, allegedly ignoring both court and palace decisions.
The family further alleged that the Ogoga and the Ajiboye Family mobilised surveyors to demarcate the land, a move they opposed by petitioning the Surveyor-General of Ekiti State in a letter on March 10, 2025.
The petition was also sent to the Governor, the Attorney General, the Bureau of Lands, the Commissioner of Police, and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Subsequently, the Ajana Family filed a motion at the High Court (Ikere Division) to join the Surveyor-General, the Governor, the Attorney General, and the Bureau of Lands as parties to the case. The court granted the motion on June 9, 2025.
The dispute escalated further when His Royal Majesty reportedly suspended Chief Oluwabamise Julius Afolabi, head of the Ajana Family, for three months; an action the family described as retaliatory and aimed at silencing their opposition.
In a statement, the Ajana Family condemned what they termed a flagrant abuse of traditional authority, a direct affront to the rule of law and judicial integrity, and a deliberate attempt to dispossess the Ajana Family of its rightful heritage.
But the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti denied the allegations, describing the claims as pure blackmail and defamation of character. Speaking to The Guardian, Oba Adu-Alagbado explained that the Ajana Family had initially reported the land dispute to the Palace Court, which handles civil matters such as land, marriage, and inheritance disputes.
Dissatisfied with the Palace Court’s ruling, the Ajana Family appealed to the Ogoga Appeal Court, a body comprising the king, the heads of the three quarters of Ikere, and the Registrar of the Palace Court.
Adu-Alagbado said the appeal was resolved by ordering that the land be shared between the two families, with boundaries marked by appointed chiefs. However, persistent disagreements and rising tensions led the town’s Elders Council to consider an alternative resolution when a request was made for land to build a new university and youth centre.
At a meeting attended by both families, the monarch said the proposal for the disputed land to be used for the development project was unanimously accepted by representatives, including Chief Ajiboye and Chief Elemikan. A land surveyor was commissioned to map out 100 hectares, with contributions from two other neighbouring families to share the burden equally at 25 per cent each.
However, during the survey process, workers were allegedly attacked and equipment was damaged. The monarch said Elemikan was among those identified as attackers, prompting a three-month suspension for breaching the conduct expected of a chief.
Adu-Alagbado rejected accusations of land grabbing, insisting that the decision was collective and in the town’s best interest. He cited several historical examples where families voluntarily released land for schools, hospitals, and other community projects, stressing that no judgment had ever been passed against the Ajana Family by the Palace Court.
“It is disheartening that a family once favoured by the palace could be swayed by a few misguided individuals to insult and defame the institution of the Ogoga,” the monarch said, accusing Olajide Ajana of making false and slanderous statements.
He maintained that there was no court injunction barring the land’s use, adding that the 1986 judgment referenced by the family had not been violated. The king also denied any personal interest in acquiring land, asserting that his reign had been focused on development.
“In all my 10 years on the respected throne of Ogoga, I have never sold land or taken anyone’s property. As a father, I expect them to apologise and seek restitution,” he stated.
The Ogoga urged journalists to visit Ikere to verify the facts, maintaining that the land decision was a product of consensus and aimed at fostering peace and development in the community.
