By Ifeoluwa Taiwo
Residents of Ewekoro Community in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State on Wednesday protested what they described as alleged land grabbing, marginalisation and the suspension of their annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) grants, accusing the Olowu of Owu, Oba Saka Matemilola, of interfering in the affairs of the community.
Addressing journalists during the protest, community leaders alleged that Ewekoro, which has grown from a historic settlement into a thriving township, had existed for centuries before the discovery of limestone on its ancestral land.
They lamented that while the discovery of limestone brought industrial development to the area, it had also exposed residents to environmental pollution from cement production, resulting in serious health challenges and hardship.
According to the protesters, toxic dust and emissions from the Ewekoro cement factory have continued to threaten the health and livelihoods of residents, making it imperative for the host community to continue receiving annual CSR support from the company.
The community further alleged that the current dispute stemmed from attempts by the Olowu of Owu to interfere in Ewekoro’s traditional leadership structure, which they said had historically been rotational among the Egba Ake, Egba Gbagura and Owu settlers.
They explained that the immediate past Baale of Ewekoro was from the Egba Ake stock, while the incumbent Baale is from Egba Gbagura, adding that the current traditional ruler was duly installed by the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland in accordance with established tradition.
The protesters accused the Olowu of attempting to impose a parallel Baale on the community through another traditional ruler, the Onipapa of Papa, describing the move as an attempt to destabilise the peaceful coexistence in Ewekoro.
They also alleged that Oba Matemilola wrote to the management of the Ewekoro cement factory, directing the company to suspend the annual grants traditionally paid to the host community as part of its CSR programme.
Describing the alleged action as economic sabotage, the protesters claimed the suspension of the grants had compounded the suffering of residents who already bear the environmental burden associated with cement production.
The community also accused the Olowu of engaging in alleged land grabbing activities within Ewekoro, insisting that neither the monarch nor his forebears owned ancestral land in the area.
According to them, any land associated with the Olowu within Ewekoro could only have been acquired through purchase or gift and not through ancestral inheritance.
The protesters appealed to the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, to intervene by calling the Olowu to order and preventing what they described as continued harassment of the community.
They also demanded the immediate withdrawal of the alleged letter sent to the cement company, restoration of the annual CSR grants and an end to what they termed “double punishment” of a community already suffering the effects of environmental pollution.
The community maintained that Ewekoro is a cosmopolitan town inhabited by different groups and not an exclusive Owu settlement, insisting that the Olowu’s jurisdiction does not extend to Ewekoro Local Government Area.
While reaffirming their commitment to peace, the protesters urged residents to remain calm and law-abiding, expressing confidence that the Alake of Egbaland and the management of the cement factory would intervene to resolve the dispute and restore lasting peace to the community.
