Ondo community rejects ancestral land acquisition for Olokola FTZ

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The Aheri Kingdom in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State has rejected what it described as attempts to acquire large portions of its ancestral land for the proposed Olokola Free Trade Zone and an alleged Dangote Industrial City.

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The kingdom, however, welcomed Dangote Industries Limited and other genuine investors to develop projects within the Olokola Free Trade Zone along the Atlantic corridor, while opposing any proposed land acquisition in the hinterland around Alape Lagoon and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.

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The position was conveyed at a meeting convened by the Maporure of Aheri, Oba Ilesanmi Raphael Ikuemonisan-Mafo, on September 5, 2026, at Zion-Pepe, Ilaje Local Government Area, with representatives of the Ondo State Government and Dangote Industries Limited in attendance.

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In a statement signed by the Secretary of the Aheri Development Council, Ige Asemudara, the kingdom said the Olokola Free Trade Zone, comprising a proposed deep seaport, oil refinery and other projects, was initiated in 2007 during the administration of former Governor Olusegun Agagu.

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It said, “We welcome Dangote and other genuine investors in our land and within the OKFTZ along the Atlantic corridor only, but not anywhere in the hinterland along the Alape lagoon and the Lagos-Calabar Highway.”

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It said the project was initially proposed to cover 10,000 hectares along the coastal boundary of Ondo and Ogun states, with each state expected to provide 5,000 hectares.

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According to the kingdom, the project did not take off during the Agagu administration and no land was acquired for it before the succeeding administration of Olusegun Mimiko.

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It said Dangote Industries later became involved in the project towards the end of the Mimiko administration but subsequently moved its proposed refinery project to Lekki, Lagos State.

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The kingdom said it welcomed Dangote’s return and linked its industrial development plans to the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

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However, it expressed concern over the exclusion of host-community representatives from the technical committee the Ondo State Government constituted to collate records and liaise with Dangote and other companies involved in the proposed development.

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The kingdom said the omission could further widen what it described as an existing communication gap among the stakeholders.

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It also objected to what it described as the invasion of its land and forests by people carrying out surveys, enumeration and environmental impact assessment activities without, according to the kingdom, sufficient details about the proposed acquisition.

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The statement said, “As the government acts only through verifiable documentation, it is unacceptable that our land and forests are currently invaded by strangers on the basis of a proposed government acquisition of land with no clear location, dimension, and on the pretext of enumeration, data collection and environmental impact assessment of undisclosed projects.”

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The kingdom further questioned the proposed size of the development, comparing the 10,000 hectares originally proposed for the OKFTZ with the land areas allocated to other free trade zones in Lagos and the Niger Delta.

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It listed the Lekki Free Trade Zone at 3,000 hectares, Eko Atlantic at 1,107 hectares, Alaro City Development Free Zone at 1,000 hectares, Snake Island Integrated Free Zone at 252 hectares, Indorama Free Zone in Rivers State at 140 hectares, Bundu Free Zone at 2.40 hectares and Ibom Science and Technology Free Zone at 122.14 hectares.

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The kingdom also raised concerns over an alleged plan for a “Dangote Industrial City”, which it said Dangote publications had put at about 29,250 hectares.

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It alleged that the proposed area was connected to communities along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, where it claimed unauthorised surveys and crop enumeration were already being carried out.

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Aheri said its concerns were heightened by Ilaje’s geography, describing the area as a predominantly riverine part of the Niger Delta, with significant portions of its coastline affected by sea incursion.

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It said the land immediately north of the Atlantic shoreline represented an important area for future development, particularly with the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway providing improved access to the communities.

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The kingdom said it would not support any development it believed could displace indigenous residents or turn them into tenants on their ancestral land.

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It stated, “We reject unequivocally any land-grabbing project seeking to displace our people from their ancestral homes or deprive them of the benefits of modern environment brought about by the Lagos-Calabar Highway.”

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Aheri also said it would insist on the constitutional and statutory requirements governing any compulsory acquisition of land in the public interest.

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The kingdom said it was concerned about instances where governments acquired land for private projects, but it remained with private interests after the projects failed, instead of reverting to the indigenous owners.

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It vowed to resist what it described as the acquisition of its land “under any guise”.

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However, the kingdom stressed that its position was not against investment or industrial development.

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The meeting was attended by traditional rulers, community leaders, former Ondo State government officials and representatives of the state government, Dangote and valuation consultants.

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Among those present were the Maporure of Aheriland, Oba Ilesanmi Raphael Ikuemonisan-Mafo; the Monehin of Obinehin, Oba Williams Kalejaiye; High Chief Oronla, representing the Olikan of Etikan; former Ondo State Head of Service, Prince Ajose Kudehinbu; former Commissioner for Environment and Secretary-General of Afenifere, Chief Sola Ebiseni; and former Commissioner for Youths and Sports, Prince John Ola Mafo.

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The Ondo State Ministry of Lands was represented by its Permanent Secretary, Mr Adejumo Akinbola, while Dangote’s team included its General Manager, Abdülkarim Muhammed Bello, and representatives of Alibi & Partners, including its Chief Executive Officer, Fred Akinloye Boluwaji.

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The Aheri Development Council said it remained open to engagement with the government and genuine investors but insisted that the rights and interests of indigenous communities must be protected in any development involving their ancestral land.

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