Tension in Ifon as farmers protest lease of land to Chinese firm

…Council Chairman Ojo appeals for calm

By Sola Obagbemisoye

Tension is heightening in Ifon, the headquarters of Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State as hundreds of farmers staged a protest over the lease of farmlands to a Chinese firm, Konig Agriculture Ltd, for industrial development.

The protesters, estimated at about 1,000 and comprising men, women, youths and elderly residents, marched through major streets of the town carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Leave our farmland,” “Our land is not for sale,” and “Do not render us jobless.”

Addressing the crowd, an elderly community leader, Chief Solomon Ogunmakinwa, condemned the lease of farmland covering more than 20 farm settlements, where farmers have cultivated cash crops including cocoa, kola nut, coconut, cashew and plantain for several decades.

He said the affected farmers had invested heavily in the land over the years and warned that losing their farms would have grave economic consequences for families who depend solely on agriculture for survival.

Also speaking, Prophets Ariyo and Ayo Alebiosu expressed concern that the lease could deprive over 20,000 farmers and their immediate and extended families of their primary source of livelihood.

They appealed to the Ondo State Government and the Ose Local Government Council to reconsider the decision or, at the very least, restrict the company’s operations to the original family land earlier allocated to it.

Responding to the protest, the Executive Chairman of Ose Local Government Area, Clement Kolapo Ojo urged residents to remain calm, stating that the lease arrangement was lawful and aimed at promoting development in the area.

According to him, the government followed due process by entering into agreements with 43 original landowners, acquiring about 16,000 acres and leasing it to the agro-processing company for a period of 49 years.

Ojo explained that the initiative was also intended to improve security by curbing criminal activities in the forested areas, while creating economic opportunities, noting that the company has the capacity to employ over 1,000 people from the local government.

He assured residents that the council would continue to engage stakeholders to address concerns and ensure that development efforts do not unfairly disadvantage local communities.