On Sunday, April 27, 2025, the Council of Islamic Preachers convened a Communal Conflict Resolution Dialogue in Osogbo, Osun State, urging residents of the Ifon, Ilobu, and Erin-Osun communities to maintain peace and avoid actions that could escalate ongoing land disputes, as reported by Daily Post, Tribune Online, The Sun Nigeria, Leadership, and Punch. The dialogue, held at Admus Hotel in Ede and organized in collaboration with State Amir and National Deputy Amir Imam Abdullahi Olohunlomerue, aimed to foster mutual understanding, rebuild fractured relationships, and chart a sustainable path to peace among the warring communities in Orolu and Irepodun Local Government Areas.
A communiqué signed by Imam Olohunlomerue, issued post-dialogue, emphasized sustainable dialogue and included commitments from Islamic scholars, community leaders, political stakeholders, and government officials to support peacebuilding initiatives led by Governor Ademola Adeleke. The council visited the royal fathers—Olufon of Ifon (Oba Peter Akinyooye), Olobu of Ilobu (Oba Ashiru Olaniyan), and Elerin of Erin-Osun (Oba Yusuf Omoloye)—who pledged cooperation with the state to restore tranquility, per Tribune Online and Daily Post.
Key Contributions and Calls for Peace
Imam Olohunlomerue stressed the moral duty of Islamic preachers to promote peace, citing Sheikh Olayiwola’s role in resolving the Ife-Modakeke crisis as a model for clerics to emulate. He urged religious leaders to address injustice vocally, saying, “Clerics must be vocal in matters of injustice and reconciliation.” Keynote speaker Sheikh Muhammad Jamiu Oloko from Saki, Oyo State, advocated for patience, fairness, and wisdom in mediation, warning that “silence from clerics during periods of injustice could exacerbate tensions” and urging consistent peace advocacy across platforms, per Leadership and The Sun Nigeria.
Sheikh Nurain Adegoke, Mufassir of Ifon-Orolu, likened the dispute to a “marital quarrel,” emphasizing that resolution must originate within the communities. He expressed optimism for lasting peace through continued dialogue, per Tribune Online. Dr. Abdul-Azeez, Chief Imam of Ilobu, criticized inflammatory rhetoric among clerics and the state’s peace committee for lacking religious representation, which he argued undermined its credibility. Imam Sokoto, Mufassir of Erin-Osun, condemned the exploitation of religion to fuel conflict, challenging scholars to live by the Qur’an’s teachings, per Punch and Daily Post.
Government Commitment and Context
Munirudeen Raji, representing Governor Adeleke, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to peace, promising to prosecute perpetrators and sustain mediation efforts. Adeleke’s administration has imposed curfews eight times since 2023, including a 24-hour curfew extended to Erin-Osun on March 22, 2025, relaxed to 12 hours (6 PM–6 AM) on April 8 after signs of de-escalation, per Osun State Official Website. A 100-member Land Crisis Resolution Committee, chaired by Ataoja of Osogbo Oba Jimoh Olanipekun and co-chaired by activist Waheed Lawal, was inaugurated on January 28 to address the disputes, though Ilobu briefly withdrew in February, alleging bias, per Mc Ebisco and Hallmark News.
The conflict, rooted in decades-long boundary disputes, has caused significant loss of life and property, with renewed clashes in March 2025 displacing hundreds and destroying homes, per Tribune Online and Businessday NG. Residents reported harrowing experiences, with some, like Sulaimoh Waheed Iyiola Olomiobe of Ifon, alleging targeted attacks, and others in Ilobu seeking refuge in mosques, per Tribune Online. Governor Adeleke inspected conflict zones on March 24, ordering relief distribution and arrests, and warned monarchs of dethronement if peace efforts falter, per Osun State Official Website.
Broader Efforts and Challenges
The dialogue builds on Adeleke’s multi-pronged approach, including security operations, relief camps established on April 3, and a joint security task force to curb violence, per Osun State Official Website and Leadership. The Yoruba Youth Socio-Cultural Association also called for peaceful resolution, condemning the “unacceptable” loss of life, per Leadership. However, challenges persist, with Ilobu’s February withdrawal from the peace committee highlighting trust issues, though Ifon and Erin-Osun opposed halting the panel’s work, per Mc Ebisco. X post by @DailyPostNGR on April 28 underscored the council’s peace appeal, reflecting ongoing public concern.
The Council’s dialogue, emphasizing moral and religious teachings, aligns with broader calls for unity, as echoed by Islamic cleric Sanusi Amidu in a March 24 Ramadan lecture urging communities to avoid crises like those in Ifon, Ilobu, and Erin-Osun, per Hallmark News. While the monarchs’ pledges and the state’s commitment signal progress, the deep-rooted nature of the dispute, described as “emotional and resistant to external interference” by Sheikh Adegoke, underscores the need for sustained, community-driven resolution to prevent further violence, per Tribune Online
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