The battle for supremacy between Oyo monarchs in Ogbomoso zone, the Onpetu and the Onijeru has being an age long issue or tussle which is begging for an answer.
History is the study of past events and mostly in Yoruba parlance, historical sources is based on oral tradition, literature which is transmitted from one generation to the other. It is matter of fact that any society or country without a definite record of history is playing with a cobra head.
It is no longer news that there is Onpetu of Ijeru Kingdom and Onijeru of Ijeru Kingdom. A visit to Ijeru will make you wonder, opening your mouth, you will see vividly that the two monarch's palace is close to each other, with each bearing the title " Onpetu of Ijeru Kingdom, Onijeru of Ijeru Kingdom" respectively. Each claiming Ijeru Kingdom.
The rivalry between the Onijeru of Ijeruland, Oba Olaniyi Popoola, and the Onpetu of Ijeru, Oba Oladapo Oyediran 11, in Ogbomoso zone of Oyo State resurfaced time without numbers as the former often said the Onpetu has no right to claim Ijeru as his domain.The monarchs have been fighting for the control of Ijeru for a very long time.
According to the history of Ogbomoso, Aale, Ohunsile, Ogunlola, Akandie and Orisatolu we're the settlers that formed the 'Egbe 'Alongo', a group of hunters.
There is a general believe that when Onpetu came into Ogbomoso, he was accommodated by Onijeru. A believe which Onpetu said that it is misconception of people who has tainted the history of Onpetu decoratively.
This has always being the claim of both kings:
Onijeru
Oba Popoola : the disagreement started 27 years ago and Ijeru people sued the former Onpetu,the late Oba Atobatele Mosobalaje.
“A judgment was delivered at the Ogbomoso High Court by the late Justice Ayorinde of blessed memory in April 24, 1987, in the Onijeru’s favour. The Onpetu appealed the judgment. Two kings died on the throne during that period but the appeal was struck out around 2,000 or there about.
“Ijeruland was established in 1614 by a great hunter, Ohunsile, who migrated from Ile-Ife to Ota, when he had a chieftaincy dispute with his brother. The issue was taken to Oyo and the case was ruled in favour of his younger brother. This annoyed him and he left the place for Oyo.
“Ijeru’s boundary starts from Laka Elepo, from that bridge to Temidire in Ogo Oluwa area. We have expanded greatly. In those days when we used to have Fulani wars, about 142 settlements and villages ran to Ogbomoso for safety, including the Onpetu family, because those who established Ogbomoso were warriors.
“All the other people have left for their homestead, but the Onpetu family refused to leave because they were being over-pampered here in Ijeru. The late Premier of the Western Region, Chief Ladoke Akintola, gave them political power and told them not to leave, forgetting that the truth will prevail some day.
“There is no controversy about who owns Ijeruland. It belongs to the Onijeru and nobody else has the right to lay claim to what belong to us. The problem is that our government does not have respect for tradition and the rule of law, because it appoints judges, attorney-general and others, who give judgment in court cases without abiding by it.
“The Onijeru is recognised by the court as the authentic ruler of the domain. We have a court judgment in our favour.”
Onpetu
Oba Oyediran : the Onijeru was trying to distort history.
"We migrated from Ife or we came out from Ife to where we are now and by the time we were leaving, we left as " Onpetu" not that by the time we came here we manufacture the title of Onpetu, there is Onpetu compound at Ile-Ife"
“When Ohunsile, their ancestor, came from Oyo, he met some people here. Let the Onijeru tell the world who he met in that place and who gave him the land they settled on? They claimed they did not settle on Olugbon’s, Aresa’s or Onikoyi’s land, so who gave Ohunsile the land? I will be pleased if they can answer this question?”
" They said Onpetu came from Oje; where is 'Oje' ? From Arowomole here to Oje is 6 Kilometres"
Nevertheless, the crisis is not yet over, and it would be a grave mistake for the government to disregard the continued importance of the conflict. There is no gain saying the fact that Ijeru is at a cross-road and gradually drifting towards a pandemonium state if this dispute trend continues.
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