Land Dispute: Ibese Youths Urge Dangote Cement To Respect Community Rights

A pressure group based in Ogun state, the Ibese Youth Association has advised Dangote Cement management, Ibese not to entertain any agreement with Oba Rotimi Mulero, the Aboro of Ibeseland on behalf the communities. 

The association made this known yesterday in a statement jointly signed by Lukman Alagbe and Ajibola Ogunbona, the General Secretary and the Public Relations Officer of the group respectively. 

The group disclosed that it won't fold its hands, and allow the community heritage be exchanged for pecuniary gains. It added that since the land issue has become a subject of litigation, the traditional ruler should desist from signing any agreement with the Dangote management pending the determination of the suit.

The full text of the Press Statement is presented below:

22nd August 2024

*RE: HARMONIZED DEMANDS FOR IBESE, IJAKO, AND IGBOGILA COMMUNITIES*

Dear Sir,

We refer to the letter jointly signed by the representatives of the aforementioned communities, which is attached herewith. As key stakeholders in Ibese, we cannot remain indifferent to the apparent attempts by Oba Rotimi Mulero, the Aboro of Ibeseland, to sell our communal land for personal gain.

As you are aware, the land dispute between Ibese and Igbogila is still pending in court. In 2020, a judgment was delivered by Honorable Justice S.A. Olugbemi, which the plaintiff (Ibese) promptly appealed. A stay of execution was also filed. Given the ongoing litigation, we urge extreme caution in any actions or agreements that could interfere with the legal process.

We are deeply concerned to discover that Oba Rotimi Mulero has signed an agreement on behalf of Ibese in collaboration with representatives of other communities. We categorically declare this agreement null and void, as it does not represent the legitimate interests of the Ibese community. Igbogila has no rightful claim to the land acquired by your organization for mining purposes, and we stand firm on this position pending the court’s determination.

Oba Rotimi Mulero’s move to secure land compensation from your organization is driven by his awareness that his installation as Aboro of Ibeseland is questionable and may not survive legal scrutiny. We strongly urge you to ignore his advances and refrain from negotiating with him, as doing so would be detrimental to the true interests of the Ibese community.

As stakeholders, we strongly advise against accepting any agreement that undermines the ongoing litigation, as this could lead to unnecessary unrest in the community.

 Furthermore, even if compensation is to be paid after the litigation is resolved, it should be done directly to individual landowners, as was the practice with crop compensation, to avoid unnecessary conflict.

The implication of the document in contention in this letter is that igbogila is seeking to manipulate your organization into granting them rights they do not have. They intend to use the signed document from Oba Rotimi Mulero against your organization to demand unjust compensation. It is important to note that since the inception of the Dangote Cement Plant, Igbogila has not been part of the host communities, as can be confirmed from the geographical map of the area covered by the Dangote Cement Plant, Ibese. Should you accept the signed document, Igbogila may take the matter to court, claiming that you have been using their land for years without compensation. This could set a dangerous precedent, leading other neighboring communities to pursue similar actions.

Kindly note that our association, the Ibese Youth Association is committed to defending Ibese’s heritage with civility and respect for the law. We were at the forefront of advocating for the establishment of Dangote Cement, Ibese during the reign of our late Aboro of Ibese, Oba Joel Bamgbose (May his soul rest in perfect peace). We have always adhered to the instructions given to us by the late Aboro, which is to work for the progress of Dangote Cement Plant, Ibese, as it is our heritage. As long as the cement factory remains in our community, we will continue to safeguard its existence.

To this end therefore, the Ibese Youth Association  also demands that Oba Rotimi Mulero should immediately revoke agreement he recently signed with Ijako and Igbogila which is allegedly tied to the mortgaging of Ibese land for personal gain.

Please accept our assurances of best regards.

Signed:

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Luqman Alagbe 

General Secretary 

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Ajibola Ogunbona 

Public Relation Officer