The monarch of Atijere Kingdom in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Samuel Adeoye, has called on the National Boundary Commission (NBC) to urgently intervene in the boundary dispute between Ondo and Ogun states over the oil-rich Eba Island.
The traditional ruler also warned prospective investors against acquiring land from any single community in the disputed area, saying all affected kingdoms should be carried along pending the resolution of the ownership dispute.
Oba Adeoye maintained that Eba Island belongs to Ondo State and rejected claims by Ogun State to the territory.
The two neighbouring states have recently laid claim to the island, with the Ogun State Government insisting it falls within Ogun Waterside Local Government Area and dismissing Ondo State’s position as misleading.
Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Kayode Ajulo, had also insisted that official records and decades of administration recognised the island as part of Ondo State.
Speaking at a meeting in his palace on Thursday, Oba Adeoye said the NBC had long been aware of the dispute but had yet to resolve it.
“The NBC is aware of the crisis that is going on, but they lack the political will to do anything. But they are on it.
“I remember that NBC wrote a letter asking for a meeting between the two states. The meeting was to be held in April, this year but Ogun State said they had no chance,” he said.
The monarch disclosed that Ondo State had repeatedly written to the commission to resolve the matter, recalling that the NBC had earlier directed both states to maintain the status quo before oil was discovered in the area.
“Ondo State has written a lot of letters on the need for NBC to come up and take up this issue because it was NBC that directed that we should maintain the status quo before this oil was discovered. So they should come now and resolve it,” he added.
Oba Adeoye said Eba Island and its surrounding settlements had existed for many years, with residents tracing their ancestry to the Ilaje area long before the recent controversy.
He argued that the conduct of elections in the area, including the recent Ondo South Senatorial bye-election, reflected Ondo State’s administrative presence on the island.
The monarch also disclosed that oil-related activities had already commenced in the area and urged the Federal Government to recognise communities surrounding the island as stakeholders.
“What I want is that our rights should be given to us. We must be considered as part of the oil-producing community. If they want to do anything there, they must come to Atijere and discuss with us,” he said.
He insisted that only the National Boundary Commission had the constitutional responsibility to determine the boundary between the two states.
“It is the duty of the National Boundary Commission to determine the boundary between two states. It is not the duty of Ogun State to determine the boundary. When there is a dispute like this, it is the National Boundary Commission that will determine it. Now that there is a dispute, no state can lay claim to that place for now.
“But for peace to reign and for the project to continue, all the adjoining communities and kingdoms around that place must be carried along and considered co-owners until the states settle the matter,” the monarch said.
The controversy over the ownership of Eba Island has continued to deepen, with officials from both states exchanging claims over the territory.
The House of Representatives recently directed its relevant committees to investigate the territorial status of the island following the adoption of a motion sponsored by the member representing Odigbo/Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Federal Constituency, Joseph Adegbesan.
