Tension is mounting in Ifon, the headquarters of Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, following the lease of a large expanse of farmland to a Chinese company, Konig Agriculture Ltd, for industrial agricultural development.
The protesters, numbering about 1,000 and comprising men, women, youths, elderly persons and children, marched through major streets in Ifon, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Leave our farmland,” “Our land is not for sale,” and “Don’t render us jobless.”
Addressing the protesters, an elder of the community, Chief Solomon Ogunmakinwa, condemned the lease of farmlands spanning over 20 farm settlements where residents, according to him, have invested heavily for decades. He said the affected farmers cultivate cash crops including cocoa, kola nut, coconut, cashew and plantain, which serve as their primary source of livelihood.
Also speaking, Prophets Ariyo and Ayo Alebiosu warned that the leasing of what they described as the only means of livelihood of over 20,000 farmers and their immediate and extended families would not only lead to mass unemployment but could have dire social consequences.
They appealed passionately to the Ondo State Government and the Ose Local Government Authority to rescind the decision, or at the very least, restrict the company’s operations to the portion of land originally leased by the host family, in the interest of the affected farmers.
Responding to the protest, the Executive Chairman of Ose Local Government, Barrister Clement Kolapo Ojo, said the decision would not be reversed.
According to him, the government followed due process by entering into agreements with 43 original landowners, acquiring about 16,000 acres of land and leasing it to the Chinese agro-processing company for a period of 49 years.
Ojo explained that the project was aimed not only at flushing out criminal elements allegedly using the forest as hideouts, but also at accelerating development in Ose Local Government Area. He added that the company has the capacity to employ over 1,000 people from the locality.
