The Nation Newspaper Tension as monarch, miners spoil for war in Ogun community
A face-off over unlawful practices and alleged illegal suspension of operations is brewing between the Olofin Adimula of Ado-Odo town in Ogun State, Oba Idris Olusola Lamidi-Osolo and sand miners around the community,A face-off between licensed sand miners and the traditional ruler of Ado-Odo town, Ogun State is causing tension in the ancient town.
Olanrewaju, who is the Managing Director of Glowton Oil Services Limited, said their businesses have been crippled in the aftermath of the unlawful suspension and violent attack by hoodlums with backing from the palace. “We contacted the state Ministry of Trade and Investment and we were told that only the government has the right to issue and assess our licences and that we should ignore the suspension order issued by the monarch.
“Our sites—Isalu Ijana, Oloparun and Iloro— are on the outskirts of Ado-Odo; very close to Owode, Yewa. The hoodlums snatched the sum of N900, 000 from one of my workers and raided the entire sites where other mining firms are located. He said the manner of the attack was ruthless as the hoodlums spared no one in sight during their Gestapo attack on the business premises.
“I escaped death by a whisker when one of the hoodlums tried to hack me with a machete. If not that I fled into a nearby bush, I would have been killed by the hoodlums. The three traditionalists told the workers that the monarch instructed them to stop them from working at the site. The workers, who stood beside an excavator, were heard saying: “These traditionalists were sent by the kabiyesi to stop us from working. This time around, they have not come to fight with us, rather, they have come to deliver the stop work order of the monarch.
“This site is about the fourth site we are going to shut down. We have shut down mining sites and expelled their workers in Ilashe, Oloparun and Akebaje.In another footage, the traditionalists are seen burying some fetish items in the ground at one of the sites with heavy curses on anyone who defied the monarch’s order.
A community leader, who asked not to be named, expressed disappointment with the development, saying the monarch as the traditional leader of the town should embrace dialogue instead of taking the laws into his own hands to enforce an illegal order. “The agreements, including corporate social responsibilities, will be reached between the host community and the mining operators, but they were carrying out their activities unchecked.
“For example, two children died recently as a result of the unwholesome excavation activities by these miners, because some of them excavated sharp sand beyond the 30 feet prescribed by the Ministry of Mines and Steel, but the situation was managed shortly before my ascension when there was no monarch on the throne.
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