Tension As FUOYE, Family Battle Over Landed Property

By Ayodele Oni

Still trying to settle down for academic work after the end of prolonged strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, (FUOYE) is battling with another issue, which may lead to hostility with host community.

Some family in the host community, Oye Ekiti are laying claim to ownership of land, currently being occupied by the university community.

One of the claimants, the  Oguntuase Family accused FUOYE of encroaching on its land after it gave out substantial portion of the property free of charge to the university.

The spokesman  and secretary of the Oguntuase Family, Mr. Sunday  Oguntuase claimed that the family had conceded 37 hectares out of their property to the federal university.

The issue has generated serious fear and  tension within the university community as some unknown persons place fetish substances at the entrance of the university.

It was learnt that security personnel that were detailed to clear the fettish substances too could not do so.

This situation continued for almost a week before the vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Abayomi Fashina sought an audience with the traditional ruler of the community for possible reconciliation with concerned families.

An Aide to the Vice Chancellor, said all issues regarding land matters have been resolved stressing that the current claim might be a false alarm afterrall.

Special Adviser on Media, Wole Balogun, said “Oye Community and the university management have met and resolved issues relating to landed property of the University and the attacks by some members of Oye community and this means there is peace between the two parties.

“So whoever is now raising allegation of encroachment on their land by the university management may just be rasing false alarm.

“The landed property was given to us by the federal government and if any one is alleging that we intrude on their landed property, such family should approach the appropriate authorities of government.

“We have  also been having some members of Oye community disturbing construction works on going to develop the University and the University management has taken a civil step on this development.”

The aggrieved family also claimed that about 98 percent of  the remaining six hectares left for the family has been acquired,  thereby creating tension and anxiety in the affected areas, as well as the entire town due to large number of those involved.

“Apart from the 37 hectares, we have another 15 Hectares where our cocoa plantation is located but the school had to channel its major road through the land, thereby dividing the land with 9 hectares falling on the school, the remaining 6 hectares is left for the Oguntuase Family.

According to the family spokesman the remaining six hectares are already being encroached by the University.