The Onitede of Tede, Oba Abdulrauf Oladoyin, on Monday denied reports he had given land to some Fulani herdsmen to settle in 10 locations in Atisbo Local Government Area of Oyo State.
A former Director, Directorate of Military Intelligence, Col Kunle Toogun (retd.), had claimed a monarch in Oke Ogun (area of Oyo State) brought four trucks loaded with foreign herdsmen to his domain.
Apparently concerned that the allegation was directed at him, Oba Oladoyin pointed the finger at those he claimed had been eyeing his seat over the years.
The monarch told ThePUNCH on the telephone on Monday that the immediate past governor of the state, Abiola Ajimobi, invited him some months ago over the same allegation, adding that it was discovered to be false.
He said, “The Fulani living here in ATISBO are from Ilorin in Kwara State and we have been living together for years.”
Oba Oladoyin said a month to the last general elections, a son of one of the Fulani residents arrived in the town with eight others and he (monarch) was informed about their presence.
He said, “I summoned them and inquired where they came from. On inquiry, we discovered that one of them, who was living with his father, left the town a few years ago for Igbeti, a neighbouring town.
“He said he returned with his friends and their wives totalling nine people. We did not stop there, I asked security officials to investigate them. They went as far as reaching out to their base in Igbeti and nothing nefarious was linked to them.
“That was why we allowed them in.”
He added, “Former Governor Ajimobi invited me to Ibadan and I explained to him. He contacted the security agencies and the matter was rested until the recent publication.
“I instituted a court action but elders in Oke Ogun have been appealing to me to withdraw the case bordering on defamation of character against Toogun.”
