Bolorunduro community appeal to Gov. Fayemi for compensation over land acquisition

AbdulAhad Otuoze
Following the acquiring of over 40,000 acres of land including farm land by Ekiti state government for development of new airport in Ado-Ekiti, the Bolorunduro community have appealed for compensation.
The youth leader of Bolorunduro community in Ado-Ekiti local governmemt area of Ekiti State, Isah Sa’ed and 90 years old Mallam Abu Yahaya made this known in Lokoja, Kogi state while addressing newsmen.
The youth leader who spoke on bahalf of the Ebira community noted that the Ebira community in Ado-Eki, in Ekiti state have appealed to the governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi to ask whoever is in charge to pay them compensation of their crops so that they can move to another area to settle.
According to them the state government acquired over 40, 000 acres of land and inuding farm land within the land the government acquired for the airport .
“It has been long that the state government was planning to establish airport in the community ,but the current administration led by Dr Kayode Fayemi last years starting making preparation for the airport by fencing the land the government has procured for the airport.
“When they started fencing the land last year we asked them what will be the fate of farmers using the land and they told us that there will be no problem and that whenever it is time to commence work on the construction of the airport , the farmers will be given prior notice and we stood by that assurance and started cultivating our portion of the land and we have planted yams, cassava , cocoa yam and even pepper.
“But to our surprise just last month the company handling the project by name Chinese civil Engineering construction company rolled out their earth moving equipment and started demolishing our houses and destroying our crops we have invested on to have a bumper harvest.
“The Ebira people farming in this community have lived here for over a 100 years , our great , great grandfathers settled in this community to earn a living through farming and today we are over 500 in population and many of us were born and brought up in this community.
“We are aware that if government is embarking on such project the occupants of the land will be compensated and relocated and to that effect we heard over the radio that the state government has released the some of 500 million naira to compensate the affected farmers in the community.
“But to our surprise when the Deputy Governor of the state came to the community few months ago to inspect the location of the airport we tried to tendered our complain but he did not give us a listening ear because the compensation was limited to economic trees such as cocoa , palm trees, banana, kolanut and orange farmers
“The Ebira people who farmed Yams, Cassava , Cocoayam and other cash crops were not part of the compensation and relocation.
“As am talking to you now, some of our houses has been demolished without an iota of compensation . Already we are in a state of confusion because we have families to catered for and our means of livelihood had been destroyed while we watch helplessly because we don’t have any body to assist us talk to the state government.
“As farmers we contributed to the economic growth of the state. We paid tax regularly and we gave honorarium to the traditional institutions in the state on yearly basis,” he stated.
They mentioned that they are not claiming that the land belong to them but that they have been living in the community for many years and cultivate the land to earn their living and training of their children but suddenly they were being treated as if they are not Nigerians.
“We have cultivated the land , planted yams and cassava awaiting harvesting season which will commence by the month of April 2022. If they can give us time till that April to enable us carry out our harvesting it will be better but if they can not wait till that harvesting period which is April , 2022 then they should compensate us for the crops because we have invested heavily on the farms.
“Therefore , We are appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State to please prevail on Ekiti State Governor Dr Kayode Fayemi to compensate us for the crops we have lost as a result of construction of the airport at Bolorunduro community where we have lived for many decades to contribute our quota to food availability in this country.
“I met the traditional rulers in the local government but nothing good comes out of our meeting. Many of our people affected by the construction work are now in a precautions situations as we don’t know where to go and what to do, that is why we are pleading and appealing to appropriate authority to come to our aid.