ELDERS and Leaders of Ajia and other 235 villages in Inukan Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Oyo State under the aegis of Inukan Development Forum have described as untrue news making the rounds that the Governor of the state, Mr Seyi Makinde is grabbing some parcels of lands in the area for his personal use.
President of the forum, Sunday Gbenjo, while speaking on behalf of other members during a press briefing in Ajia, on Monday, noted that it is a known fact that even before Makinde became the Governor of the state, he had as a private citizen assisted the community in no small measure in regard to the development of Ajia.
He stated that: “We are all witnesses to the recent negative news making the rounds on the iussue of land acquisition and sharp comments following various developmental projects that are ongoing in and around Ajia land.
“It is common saying that silence is golden when necessary, but the case at hand is quite different as silence is no more the best options following the antics of nay sayers and rabble rousers who have embarked on campaign of calumny against the governor.”
Gbenjo also noted that: “Inukan Development Forum hereby denounce the negative agenda of these mischievous elements and dissociate itself from negative press being given to Ajia and Oyo State over the issue of land acquisition for developmental projects in Ajia and its environs.
“These lands that are acquired are for public use and moreover most of the lands in question have been acquired for more than 60 years ago for example the two primary schools and the secondary school also having 44 hectares of land mass for more than 20 years.
“Change is the only constant thing in life and if the government must build and construct facilities, some people must bear the brunt for the good of all, therefore pronounce as untrue that Governor Seyi Makinde is grabbing people’s land for himself in Ajia.”
