By The day the last crisis broke out between Ifon and Ilobu communities is still something very clear to *Mrs Olawunmi. Without mincing words, she is able to state clearly that “the crisis broke out on March 20 and we travelled on March 22nd.” She had to move with her family from Ilobu to Ogbomoso. Mrs Oluwunmi described what happened to her and her family as God saving them. She said, “We left this place for Oshogbo first and afterwards went to Ogbomoso.” According to her, other residents had to leave the town in this same manner as they had to circumlocute before getting to their destinations.
She further narrated that she and her family members left the town around 10:00am on March 22nd before, later that day, a 24-hour curfew was announced by the state government. Mrs Olawunmi explained that she spent more than a month in Ogbomoso. She explained that before they left Ilobu, they were hearing gunshots. She said, “I returned on May 18th.”
Background
In March 2025, there was a renewed crisis between the communities of Ifon in Orolu Local government and Ilobu in Irepodun Local government. This crisis led to the razing of numerous houses and shops, people sustaining injuries and numerous families displaced. The Osun state government eventually imposed a curfew in the communities. Another community, Erin-Osun, was also involved. This dispute was reportedly caused by a land dispute. Ifòn and Ilobu have a history of violent clashes with each other. Back in 2023, a violence broke out between these two communities leading to the death of residents and the destruction of properties.
The clash that took place in 2023 was seen as the first experience of devastating destruction of properties and loss of lives between the two communities. Before the crisis in 2025, the 2023 crisis led to the death of people, razing of buildings and wreckage of cars. Since the clash in 2023, there has been a series of crises between these 2 communities.
Till now, Everyone is Still in Doubt
Mrs Olawunmi affirmed that till the present moment, there is no assurance that a similar crisis will not repeat itself. She said, “everyone is still doubting.” She explained that there was an outbreak of the crisis in 2023. That did not stop further minor conflicts in 2024, before the last one that happened in March, 2025. Mrs Olawunmi said she came back because there is really no place like home. According to her, when she came back into the community, she complained that the town appeared deserted but she was told by the residents who stayed back that she returned at a time when the people in the community had increased in number. She further added that the schooling of her kids was affected. Throughout the period she was out of the community with her family, the children could not go to school. This was also the situation for other students in the community.
Amos, a 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidate, narrated his ordeal. Amos was taking UTME tutorials before the crisis broke out in March. He said, ‘ I could not attend tutorials anymore. Even when I was leaving the town, I did not leave with any clothes.” Amos, while in Oshogbo, had to actively involve himself in a wash-and-wear process. He added, “I did not have an android phone then. I could not even join the online tutorial.”
Mr Munirudeen, a resident of Ifon community, stated that some people have started returning to the town. According to him, those whose houses were burnt down cannot decide to come back into town because they have not had the means. Mr Munirudeen was in Ifon throughout the period of the crisis. He said, “everybody in the three communities (Ifon, Ilobu, and Erin) felt the impacts of the curfew.” He explained that business was crippled during this time. For Mr Munirudeen, the question of whether there is still tension or not is heavily based on the thoughts and intentions of each person. He said, “we cannot really know if the people of Ilobu or the people of Ifon have decided to let go of the matter.” Mr Munirudeen summarily committed all in the hands of God as he prays and hopes that nothing of such will happen again.
Another resident who resides in Ifon and has a lot of businesses to do inside Ilobu but chose to remain anonymous, explained what he knows about the whole crisis and how it affected him. He stated that in October, 2023, when he asked someone to clear the bush on his farm, the individual said he could not because one of his relatives was missing. While he was going to the place with the individual meant to clear the portion, they were told not to go there because a corpse was there. The place where the corpse, which turned out to be the dead body of the missing individual already shot, was found is the portion that has always been fought over by Ifon and Ilobu. He said, “the violence started with the throwing of stones, then advanced to bullets. That was how they started killing themselves.” He added that the crisis of 2023 was settled with the intervention of the government. He further explained that in 2024, it was rumoured that Late Major General Taoreed Lagbaja, an indigene of Ilobu, wanted to use the land the two communities are disputing over to construct a project. He said, ‘upon hearing this, the people of Ifon started protesting.”
I Left My House to Rent an Apartment – Ifon Resident
The anonymous resident of Ifon further added that, “I left my house to go and rent an apartment outside the two communities, Agunbelewo area.” He explained that he got more motivation to do that because his wife has her place outside the communities and his children’s school is located outside the community too. He stated that the government later sent securities. It is a common knowledge among most residents that it is because the military men and security officials are still around that another crisis has not broken out. While recounting the consequences, this resident explained that the crisis has caused a lot of setbacks. “There are some schools located at the boundaries that cannot operate again, the likes of Golden Gate. Many businesses have also moved out of the communities. He mentioned how a man who is into foam-selling business had his shop burnt. The man had to start his business all over again out of Ilobu. He added that he is not back to his house. He said, ‘if at all I have to go back, I have to spend a year in my rented apartment. Also, before returning, I have to check if there is peace.” He equally revealed that he has a plan of even renewing his rent at the apartment he currently occupies. He estimated that, “more than 500 families moved out of the communities. People are moving out and people are still ready to move out.”
Mrs Bolanle Oyinlola, another resident of Ifon, explained that she was not in the community during the time of the crisis. She explained that she got updated through the news on the television. She said, “People who have houses in the community and are not courageous enough leave for places like Ilorin, Ibadan, Ogbomoso.” Mrs Bolanle further claimed that the people of Ilobu destroyed things. She said, “Ifon is not a problematic community. Ilobu is always the one to start.” She believes that the fight is now over because the Governor has reached out to the Kings of the three communities – Ifon, Ilobu, and Erin – that if they cause any problem, they suffer the repercussions.
We Need to Forget About The Past and Embrace Peace – High Chief Bare of Ilobu
In an interview session with the High Chief Bare of Ilobu, High Chief Alhaji Asiru Jimoh Alade, he provided a background to how the war started. He explained a series of events ranging from how it was during the period when the Olobu of Ilobu was mourning his dead wife that the King of Erin, Elerin of Erin, called the king of Ilobu to inform him that he should note the boundaries of his land. According to him, the Elerin threatened to start a war if the people of Ilobu did not vacate the lands that belonged to Erin. He said, “We know nothing about the recent attack that happened a few months ago. Ifon and Erin communities met because of Ilobu.” He narrated that when it was eleven (11) days to the end of Ramadan, March 19), a woman came to his abode to inform him that the people of Ifon claimed they were going to wage war the following day. He, at that time, dismissed what was said by the woman. It was the next morning he started hearing that some individuals had been shot and a crisis had broken out. He added that Erin joined in the assault. He said, “the matter was a tough one. Properties were destroyed. People of Ilobu were killed.” After the crisis, the woman who earlier informed the High Chief before it all started came back to tell him that her father’s house got burnt.
In furtherance of his narration, High Chief Alhaji Asiru said majority of the houses that got destroyed are now being renovated. He asserted that since the war that happened in 2023, security operatives have constantly been coming into Ilobu to arrest certain individuals. He said, “after arrests, the option of bail is made unavailable for these individuals. They are always moved to the correctional centre in Ilesa. Till now, they are still taking other individuals to join them. This is not the case in the other communities.” The High Chief mentioned Sikiru Onaolapo, a resident of Ilobu who was shot on his farm but listed the names of four perpetrators before giving up the ghost. He stated that Ilobu did not proceed to get these persons arrested. He explained that the minds of people in Ilobu are not at ease. According to him, indigenes of Ilobu who have houses in Ifon are not allowed to access their properties.
He further explained that everyone should try to embrace peace. He said the King has not really been at ease because of the whole crisis. He said, “we have our people in Ifon. Ifon people also have their people residing in Ilobu.” The High Chief further pleaded that the help of the government is needed. Nonetheless, he acknowledged the efforts of the Governor in trying to ensure that proper land boundaries are provided. For the committee that the state government constituted, he stated that no productive outcome has been obtained from it. “The government should ensure they work on the creation of boundaries so that each community will know their portions.”
Real peace comes from building trust – Conflict Resolution Expert
In a conversation with Ajibola Bamgbose, a Conflict Resolution Expert, she stated that, “the Ifon–Ilobu crisis is a painful reminder that when old disputes are not resolved, they can return with serious consequences. Land and boundary issues are rarely just about the land itself — they often carry deep ties to people’s history, identity, and emotions, which makes them more complex than they seem.”
She stated further that, “In the aftermath, healing has to happen in two ways: first, helping residents rebuild their homes and livelihoods; and second, repairing the relationships between the communities. This means creating safe spaces where people can talk openly, ensuring everyone’s voice is heard, and addressing grievances in a fair and transparent way.”
Ajibola further affirmed that security measures like curfews may calm tensions for a while, but real peace comes from building trust, keeping past peace agreements, and involving community leaders, young people, and women in finding solutions. “True peace is not just the absence of fighting — it is the presence of justice, trust, and respect.”, she added.
Note: The names of some of the interviewees in this report are either changed or they are kept totally anonymous. This is for security reasons.
