Traditional rulers and leaders of Ogun Waterside Local Government have declared that the oil-rich Eba Island, site of the newly-approved commercial oil drilling project, is indisputably part of Ogun State.

They warned against what they described as “spurious claims” and “dangerous threats” from neighbouring Ilaje people in Ondo State.

The dangerous threats followed the January 22 announcement by Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, confirming that Ogun had officially joined the ranks of oil-producing states after presidential approval for commercial drilling at Eba.

The approval was granted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, after due diligence by relevant authorities, including Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and regulatory agencies.

Governor Abiodun had while receiving the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, disclosed the status of Ogun as an oil bearing and producing state.

At a news conference addressed at the weekend in Abeokuta by the traditional rulers from the local government led by the Chairman, Ogun Waterside Council of Obas and Ojotumoro of Abigi Kingdom, Oba Olusegun Ogunye, including Lenuwa of Ode – Omi, Oba Adewale Hassan, Oba Mafe Abimbola, Oba Bola Laimi, leaders and academics, including ex-Vice Chancellor of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) now Tai Solarin Federal University of Education (TASFUED), Prof. Segun Awonusi, Prof. Jumoke Bulesanmi Awoderu, among others; they dismissed claims from Atijere in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State as baseless and inflammatory.

Prof. Awonusi, reading the text speech on behalf of the Chairman, Ogun Waterside Council of Obas, Oba Ogunye, other Obas, elders and the people of Ogun Waterside, said before the presidential directive on the oil well, extensive empirical verification was conducted to determine its precise coordinates, adding that the verification confirmed the location within Ogun State boundaries, not Ondo.

He said the monarchs and leaders of the area expressed deep concern about what they termed a “campaign of calumny” from some Ilaje elements, including alleged threats by self-styled ex-militant leaders to attack Eba oil well, a major economic asset, if it is not ceded to Ondo State within 14 days.

The former Commissioner for Education in Ogun State urged Ilaje neighbours to cease what his people called aggressive media attacks and distortion of historical facts, warning that attempts at territorial expansion could disrupt decades of peaceful coexistence, even as he appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to intervene and prevent escalation.

“Our Ilaje neighbours have also embarked on a campaign of calumny and dished out outright falsehood to the public, the latest being the threat by the so-called “ex-militant generals in Ilaje Local Government to attack major sources of the economy of the country, if the oil well is not given to Ondo State within 14 days.” What an affront to our collective sensibilities! We call on our security agencies to take appropriate actions to check the shenanigans by Ilaje people and their threat to our national economy and security.

“The current misguided attempt by a few characters in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, particularly the desperation of Molokun of Atijere to brazenly engage in territorial expansion, can only ignite communal crises in communities, which have co-existed peacefully for decades. This is quite unfortunate.

“It is in this context we notice and openly condemn the release by Ondo ex-militants threatening to attack major sources of Nigeria’s economy within 14 days if the oil well is not ceded to the Ilaje of Ondo State. Those behind such threat to national security must be apprehended by security agencies and dealt with immediately,” he said.

He said documentary, electoral, cartographic and historical evidence, including official survey and lease documents, lease agreements, historical community records and the Olokola Free Trade Zone survey plan identified Eba Island as part of Ogun State and

the Independent National Electoral Commission polling unit at Local Government Primary School, Eba, under Makun/Irokun Ward in Ogun Waterside Local Government to support their claim that the oil site is in Ogun, not Ondo.

He described a recent motion sponsored by Donald Ojogo, representing Ilaje Federal Constituency of Ondo Stare, as misleading and capable of igniting communal tension between Ijebu and Ilaje communities that have coexisted peacefully for decades.

He explained that there is the existence of two Eba Islands: a larger Eba Island in Ogun State and smaller Eba near Ondo forest reserve boundary, insisting

that the oil well approved by President Tinubu is located on the larger Eba Island within Ogun Waterside Local Government.

He faulted the historical documents – referenced Government Notices of 1919 and 1920 being cited by Ilaje claimants, insisting those were rendered invalid by a later colonial instrument — Government Gazette No. 660 of April 29, 1950 — which clearly delineated the boundaries between Ijebu and Ondo provinces.

Despite the tension, he noted that the monarchs and leaders of Ogun Waterside expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for approving commercial drilling and to Governor Abiodun for positioning Ogun State as investment-friendly and securing pre- and post-approval processes for the oil project.

The traditional rulers and leaders of Ogun Waterside Local Government assured Nigerians that the peace-loving Ijebu and Ikale people of Ogun Waterside would remain law-abiding and committed to protecting lives and property at Eba oil facility. (The Nation)