Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Oloyede Okikiola Gbadamosi, Esuwoye 1, Oloffa of Offa has described as mischievous captions that there was a communal clash between Offa and Ijagbo as a result of the recently reported clash.
The revered monarch who spoke with journalists who sought his views on the development said that his community has a long history of relationship with Ijagbo people and that most families in Offa have their half brothers in Ijagbo adding that the recent crises was the handiwork of some hoodlums within the environment.
Oba Gbadamosi said “Offa and Ijagbo are like brothers and sisters of same parent with long standing history, we did not and can never fight each other over land or whatever it may be. It is the work of some hoodlums and the media was also wrong to have called it communal clash. If you know these communities, you wil know that we cannot fight. Owode market, our main market is closer to Ijagbo that Offa. Any one going from Offa to Owode would have to take a bike or enter taxi but it is a treck able distance from Ijagbo. Our ancestors are inter married to Ijagbo, we have a close historical lineage, so talking or thinking of a crises between us is just unimaginable. We will both sit down on both sides and fish out the hoodlums who caused the public unrest and would bring them to book.”
Another respondent an indigene of Ijagbo who spoke with INFORMANT247 expressed surprise that any fight could erupt between the two communities stressing that he has grand parents in Offa just like Offa people too have grand parents in Ijagbo.
He said “I am still at sea over what could have happened but I cannot rule out external sponsorship. You know unemployed youths might just see it as a quick means of making money and become easy tools for the enemies. I don’t know of other communities around Offa but I though speaking for my self, I can tell you that Ijagbo and Offa are too interwoven to be involved in a fracas of any type, I cannot imagine it”
You will recall that crises erupted during a peace meeting between the communities during which three security personnels were injured and one person was reported feared dead.
Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed subsequently issued a strong warning to deal decisively with perpetrators of communal clash between communities in the state.