By Daud Olatunji

ABEOKUTA—Hundreds of indigenes of    Sango and Ijoko in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun state, yesterday, besieged the private residence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta, urging him to prevail on Governor Ibikunle Amosun over the creation of Local Council Development Area and boundary adjustment.

Olusegun Obasanjo

The protesters, comprising communities leaders, market women, youths, traditional rulers and religious groups urged the former president to intervene in the controversy surrounding the location of Ota LCDA so as to avoid repeat of Ife and Modakeke riot.

The protesters were armed with placards with various  inscriptions such as: “Please, let us avoid a repeat of Ife and Modakeke, let our boundary from time immemorial remain, ‘For continuous peace, don’t merge us with Ota LCDA and ‘We are one since centuries,   don’t divide us now” among others.

Though Obasanjo was said to be away at the time of the visit, the protesters submitted a petition at his residence for “necessary action.”

Addressing newsmen, the   traditional ruler of Igan community in the area, Chief Idowu Olaniyi explained that they decided to seek Obasanjo’s intervention being a chief of Egbaland, because the issue affects the Egba people.

Olaniyi said “We want Obasanjo to help us talk to the authorities to stop their move to divide Sango. Egba people in the area are suffering. “The boundary arrangement in the proposed LCDA would make us   lose   all the basic amenities belonging to Sango communities to Ota area of the local government.”

Earlier, the protesters blocked the entrance to the state House of Assembly at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta before they were addressed by the Speaker, Suraj Adekumbi.

But addressing the protesters at the Assembly complex, the Speaker promised that the legislature would look into their  agitation and petition.

Adekunbi, who was accompanied by the Deputy Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo,  said the House had received over 100 petitions on the proposed LCDAs just as he urged the people of Sango-Ijoko and environs to co-exist peacefully with others and not take laws into their hands.

Adekunbi expressed the hope that the planned referendum on the LCDA creation would be conducted in accordance with the law by Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) .