Three prominent village heads in Oyo State have raised an alarm over severe intimidation, accusing their paramount monarch of subjecting them to punitive measures and harassment following their staunch refusal to surrender ancestral farmlands. The affected traditional leaders—Chief Job Adesina Alagbe (Baale of Oniyeye), Chief Olatunde Ajani (Baale of Alagbaago), and Chief Sheu Olayiwola (Baale of Agaa)—detailed a coordinated campaign of intimidation that they claim escalated after they rejected explicit demands to give up control of their respective territories.

According to THENEWSCREDIT,the distraught community leaders, the monarch’s hostile actions stem directly from their firm resolve to protect their communities from what they term an aggressive land-grabbing scheme. They disclosed that pressure had been mounting on them to release vast expanses of agricultural and ancestral land for external commercial development and private takeovers. Recognizing the devastating long-term impact on their subjects, who rely heavily on these lands for farming and survival, the chiefs chose to stand their ground.

In retaliation for their defiance, the Baales claim they are being subjected to systemic political marginalization and targeted victimization within their traditional domains. They reported facing threats of forceful eviction, arbitrary suspension from their roles, and continuous psychological harassment intended to break their resolve. Chief Job Alagbe openly lamented that the punitive measures have severely disrupted the peace of their localities and undermined their traditional authorities.

The embattled chiefs have issued a passionate public outcry, calling on the Oyo State Government, law enforcement agencies, and international human rights bodies to intervene before the situation degenerates further. They emphasize that without immediate institutional protection, their safety and the structural integrity of their historical communities remain under profound threat. The leaders urged Governor Seyi Makinde to look into the abuse of royal privileges and defend the rights of vulnerable rural populations.

This development unfolds amidst historical and ongoing traditional friction within the region, where land ownership and royal jurisdiction frequently overlap. Prior disputes regarding land boundaries and royal authority in the Ogbomoso and Orile-Igbon axis have often led to litigation and deep communal divisions. Observers note that land-related friction involving first-class monarchs and subordinate village heads has become a recurring trigger for instability across the state.

In response to the building controversies, the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, HRM Oba Francis Olusola Alao, has previously maintained a strict stance against participating in public media warfare. The monarch has warned media organizations against serving as platforms for individuals attempting to tarnish his reputation with unsubstantiated claims. He has consistently distanced himself from such accusations, noting that several land and boundary disputes in the domain are already subject to active court litigation.

As tensions continue to brew in the affected communities, local residents are calling for a peaceful and lawful resolution to the impasse. The Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs is expected to come under pressure to address the widening rift between the paramount ruler and his subordinate village heads. For now, the people of Oniyeye, Alagbaago, and Agaa remain on edge, waiting to see if state authorities will answer the desperate cries of their traditional leaders.