By Ayodele Oni
Tension has enveloped the two communities of Ile Ife and Modakeke in Osun State following the killing of five persons by unknown assailants.
Already, security has been beefed up at the Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU), as major gates leading to the institution were under lock.
It was gathered that the bodies of the deceased persons were discovered at a Jabata village near Ile Ife. The victims are said to be indigenes of Modakeke
It was reported that youths from Modakeke on Friday came out with weapons, apparently to avenge the death.
Elders from the two communities and the Police authorities in the area were said to have hurriedly conveyed a meeting to douse the rising tension.
The aggrieved youths brought the corpses to the palace of the traditional ruler of Modakeke, Oba Moses Oyediran, and dumped them there.
A top official of Ife Vigilante group, Mr Sunday Agunbiade, explained that “The shooting cannot be traced to any Ife person. They were killed in a village, so the Modakeke youths brought their corpses to the Palace of the King.
“Ife knows nothing about this. We feel sorry for the loss of these Yoruba people. They are our people. We suspect third parties trying to provoke Ife and Modakeke into conflict.
We won’t allow this to happen.”
According to him, traditional rulers of both communities are in touch and would not allow the incidence to escalate.
“This looks like the handiwork of those who want to provoke crisis in Ife. I can assure you that Ife and Modakeke elders and youths wont allow this to happen.
“There is calm now. There is not going to be another Ife Modakeke crisis. We are children of Oduduwa.
“We must avert any war at this time. The state Governor, Gboyega Oyetola has been briefed. Normalcy has returned to the communities.
The last crisis between Ife and Modakeke happened between 1997 and 2000 over the creation of local government by the then military government. Several people lost their life in the incident before it was resolved.
