Eba Island border controversy: Ondo traditional ruler seeks intervention from boundary commission

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The monarch of Atijere Kingdom in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Samuel Adeoye, has called on the National Boundary Commission to intervene in the boundary dispute between Ondo and Ogun states over the oil-rich Eba Island.

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He cautioned prospective investors against purchasing land from any single community in the disputed area, saying all affected kingdoms must be involved in decisions concerning the island pending a final resolution of the boundary dispute.

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Oba Adeoye also condemned Ogun State’s claim to the ownership of the island, insisting that the territory belongs to Ondo State.

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Both Ondo and Ogun states have recently been embroiled in a controversy over the ownership of the oil-rich island, with each state laying claim to it.

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The Ogun State Government has reaffirmed its territorial jurisdiction over the island in the Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, dismissing claims by the Ondo State Government as misleading and capable of triggering avoidable communal tension.

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On the other hand, the Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Kayode Ajulo, described the dispute over the oil-rich island as astonishing, arguing that all official records and decades of administration had long recognised the island as part of Ondo State.

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Speaking at a meeting held at his palace in Atijere on Thursday, the monarch decried the recent controversy over the ownership of the land.

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The traditional ruler disclosed that although the NBC was aware of the dispute, it had yet to resolve it, alleging that efforts to bring Ondo and Ogun states together for discussions had not yielded the desired results.

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According to the traditional ruler, the renewed attention on the island was largely driven by the recent discovery of oil deposits, stressing that there had been no controversy over its ownership for decades before the discovery.

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He said, ” The NBC is aware of the crisis that is going on, but they lack the political will to do anything. But they are on it. I remember that NBC wrote a letter asking for a meeting between the two states. The meeting was to be held in April, this year but Ogun State said they had no chance.

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” Ondo State has written a lot of letters on the need for NBC to come up and take up this issue because it was NBC that directed that we should maintain the status quo before this oil was discovered. So they should come now and resolve it.”

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Oba Adeoye noted that Eba Island and its surrounding settlements had existed for many years, with residents tracing their ancestry to the Ilaje area long before many migrated to larger communities.

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He also cited the conduct of elections in the disputed area as evidence of Ondo State’s administrative presence on the island, noting that polling units were located there during previous electoral exercises, including the recently concluded Ondo South Senatorial bye-election.

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Oba Adeoye, who stated that oil-related activities had already commenced on the island, urged the Federal Government not to sideline his domain and to include all communities surrounding the island when full-scale operations begin.

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“What I want is that our rights should be given to us. We must be considered as part of the oil-producing community. If they want to do anything there, they must come to Atijere and discuss with us.

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“It is the duty of the National Boundary Commission to determine the boundary between two states. It is not the duty of Ogun State to determine the boundary. When there is a dispute like this, it is the National Boundary Commission that will determine it. Now that there is a dispute, no state can lay claim to that place for now.

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“But for peace to reign and for the project to continue, all the adjoining communities and kingdoms around that place must be carried along and considered co-owners until the states settle the matter,” the monarch stressed.

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The controversy over the ownership of the island has deepened, with leaders in Ogun State and officials of Ondo State’s oil commission trading claims and counter-claims over the disputed territory.n

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The House of Representatives weeks after mandated its relevant committees to investigate the territorial status of the island.n

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The resolution followed the adoption of a motion at plenary moved by the member representing Odigbo/Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo Federal Constituency, Joseph Adegbesan.

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