In times of economic distress, particularly when it directly impacts the most vulnerable in society, it becomes imperative to question the state of affairs and demand accountability from those in power. Nigeria, currently grappling with soaring inflation rates, especially in the prices of essential commodities like food, finds itself at a critical juncture where the plight of its citizens demands urgent attention.

Take, for instance, the case of Garri, once a staple and affordable source of sustenance for the masses. Originating from the cassava tubers abundantly produced in Nigeria, Garri has undergone an astronomical price surge, with a measure that was once sold for a mere hundred naira now commanding a staggering one thousand naira. This unprecedented inflation in the price of Garri serves as a stark indicator of the severity of the food price crisis gripping the nation.

In contrast, in more regulated economies elsewhere, essential commodities like Garri are shielded from such exorbitant price hikes. For instance, in countries like India and Brazil, where agricultural policies are meticulously crafted and implemented, the prices of basic food items are relatively stable, ensuring that citizens have access to affordable nutrition despite economic fluctuations.

The Nigerian government’s failure to effectively regulate food prices underscores a broader systemic issue of inadequate policy intervention and enforcement. Moreover, the challenges faced by farmers, exacerbated by conflicts with herdsmen encroaching on agricultural lands, further exacerbate the food crisis. When farmers are unable to harvest their crops due to disruptions caused by external factors, it not only undermines their livelihoods but also deters aspiring young individuals from pursuing agriculture as a viable career path.

Addressing these pressing issues requires a multifaceted approach that prioritizes robust policy formulation, stringent regulatory mechanisms, and proactive measures to safeguard agricultural production. Enacting and enforcing laws to protect farmers’ rights and mitigate conflicts between agricultural and pastoral communities must be treated as a matter of utmost urgency. Only through concerted efforts and decisive action can Nigeria hope to alleviate the burden of inflation and ensure food security for its citizens.

A publication on Opera News Hub with the title “The History of the Seven Ibarapa” was repeatedly shared across social media platforms on September 19, 2022.

The report has made some individuals, including the elderly ones in Ibarapa region, engage in heated arguments simply because of the position of the publication.

CLAIM: The viral publication noted that, “In addition to political leadership, the Eleruwa of Eruwa and the Onílàlá of Lanlate historically ruled the people of Ibarapa. These monarchs are the supreme leaders of Ibarapa, and they oversee the local affairs of the community as well as ensure peace and economic growth in their towns.”

It was also said that “the three local government areas in Ibarapa—Ibarapa Central, Ibarapa East, and Ibarapa North—are responsible for these seven towns. Additionally, Idere, Igbo-Ora, Eruwa, and Lanlate are grouped under Ibarapa Central, and Tapa, Aiyete, and Igangan are grouped under Ibarapa North. Idere and Igbo-Ora are grouped under Ibarapa East.”

“Ibarapa was established by the federal government in 1996. With the exception of the seven major towns, these seven Ibarapa towns are further divided into smaller villages beneath each of them, creating a total of 30 cluster communities in Ibarapa.”

The publication mentioned Alabi Konko, Oja-isale, and Obada as the three major marketplaces in Ibarapa Central.

VERIFICATION: Upon close verification, Peoples Conscience discovered that the same publication was completely plagiarised from a personal blog named “Naijabiography.” The publication, which appeared first on Naijabiography, was written by one Temiloluwa Oyeniyi on September 1, 2022. Opera News Hub, being a global online news/magazine platform with over 350 million active users, lifted the story on September 19, 2022, around 8:55 PM and published it word for word.

The first blog that published the publication:https://naijabiography.com/history-culture/the-history-of-the-seven-ibarapa

Opera News carried it word for word 19 days after: The History of the Seven Ibarapa
http://opr.news/6460749a220919en_ng?link=1&client=news

Findings by PC also show that Opera News Hub allows verified writers from across the world to publish content on the global platform.

CONCLUSION: There is no record in history that Eleruwa or Onílàlá of Lanlate ever ruled Ibarapa as a paramount ruler. The reason for this is that each of Ibarapa’s seven principal towns has its own ruler.

Also, at no point in time were Idere, Igboora, Eruwa, and Lanlate grouped under Ibarapa Central, or Idere and Igboora grouped under Ibarapa East, as reported in the publication. The seven towns were once under one local government called the Ibarapa Local Government Area. Later, Ibarapa Local Government was divided into two, with Eruwa and Lanlate maintaining Ibarapa Local Government, while Igboora, Idere, Ayete, Tapa, and Igangan became Ifeloju Local Government Area. 

In addition, IBARAPA was never established in 1996; rather, Ibarapa East, comprising Eruwa and Lanlate, was carved out of the old Ibarapa Local Government, while Ibarapa North, consisting of Ayete, Tapa, and Igangan; and Ibarapa Central, which is only made up of Igboora and Idere, were carved out of the former Ifeloju Local Government Area. This development took place in 1996 by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Although records reveal that after the disintegration of the old Western area and the new Oyo, Ogun, and Ondo States were formed, certain Ibarapa natives sought that their settlements be expelled from Oyo and combined with Ogun. The argument of those in favour of the union was premised on the fact that a good number of Ibarapa historically came from Ogun State, saying they had a greater opportunity to develop quickly in Ogun State.

In the end, it was agreed that Ibarapa would remain in its current location (Oyo State), and in 1976, the federal government formally recognised this decision. This development, however, does not mark the establishment of Ibarapa as suggested in the viral publication with 1996 as the date.

In a nutshell, only Oja-isale out of the three main marketplaces mentioned in Ibarapa Central is actually located in Ibarapa Central. There is nothing like Alabi Konko, rather Alabi market and Konko market, all located in Ayete, with Obada in Tapa, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State. However, findings show that, recently, Idere won its lawsuit against Ayete over the real ownership of Konko market.

Verifying the rulership claim further, Olóyè Lásún ADÉWỌLÉ, a historian and renowned author, stated in an interview with Peoples Conscience, “There is NO paramount ruler in ÌBÀRÀPÁ land as we have Àkárìgbò of Rẹ́mọ or Awùjalẹ̀ of Ìjẹ̀bú land.”

“There is NO record or any period in history where ELERUWA or ONÍLÀLÁ ruled ÌBÀRÀPÁ as a paramount ruler. 

“Each town has its own separate ruler with a set of junior chiefs. If we want to identify the most senior and closest to Aláàfin—the paramount ruler in Yorùbá land, then the ONÍDÈRÈ of ÌDÈRÈ, in Ìbàràpà Central Local Government, fits in perfectly and historically, being the half brother to one of the ancient Aláàfins! 
Ref: Adewoyin, J.A.—History of Eruwa. Rev. Samuel Johnson-the History of the Yorubas, etc.”

“My attention was also drawn to the publication a few days ago. The writer appears like someone who has never been to Ibarapa before for making those blunders in the publication, but people like us will not allow some individuals to distort our history for us while we are still alive,” he said.

Also, Prince Akintayo Akinyemi, who is a lecturer and a custodian of history, in an interactive session with Peoples Conscience on Thursday, described the publication as a desperate attempt to distort history.

“There has never been a moment when one of the traditional chiefs of Ibarapa’s seven major communities ruled over the entire area. The uniqueness has always existed since the locals are from different backgrounds, which was evident from the beginning.”

However, Prince Akinyemi revealed a historical document from 1924 that details the pay scale for the Ibarapa traditional leaders during the colonial era.

The document states the list of all the traditional rulers in Ibarapa land at the time, with the Baale of Igboora receiving the largest salary among his peers. The salary structure took into consideration factors including each town’s population, jurisdictional area, and taxable income.

Prince Akinyemi said the salary scale could be used as a benchmark for judging the most prominent traditional ruler in Ibarapa region.

Speaking with Peoples Conscience on the publication, the Elenpe of Tapa Community, Oba Titiloye O. Sunday, said no traditional ruler had power outside his domain.

“This is Yoruba land. Just as we have Onílàlá of Lanlate, we have Onidere of Idere, Eleruwa of Eruwa, Olu of Igboora, Asawo of Ayete, Elenpe of Tapa, and Asingangan of Igangan, these traditional rulers have no power to enforce any order outside their respective communities, and that has been like that from the beginning. “

“Rulership matters were a very serious thing in the olden days. No community, as far as Yoruba land is concerned, would allow kings from other towns to rule over them. People should refrain from distorting history for the sake of peace and progress in Yoruba land,” Elenpe said. 

In our engagement with Onílàlá of Lanlate, Oba Sunday Oladejo told Peoples Conscience that he had also read the publication, saying that no traditional ruler had the power to oversee the affairs of other communities.

According to the monarch, “Actually, I read the publication, but the fact remains that, at the beginning, Baale Kehinde from Lanlate was the first representative of the entire Ibarapa land, and he was the first person to be gifted a car (motor onigun-merin 404) in the Western region. I even have the gazette, but you know, people always like to say what will favour them, but that should not trigger an argument in Ibarapa land. All the traditional rulers in Ibarapa know their status. That publication should not set us against one another.

“I read the publication, but in Ibarapa land, every king has his own fundamental rights. We all have the declaration that governs our district’s title. Each town has its own autonomy to do whatever it wishes. Eleruwa cannot say he is the head of Lanlate. Likewise, Onílàlá of Lanlate cannot say he is the leader of Eruwa down to Igangan. Each of the seven towns in Ibarapa has autonomy.”

“Each community has its own declaration guiding it. No king in Ibarapa land can claim seniority over others among all of us. No one has power over others. But a prominent traditional ruler can claim seniority over other chieftaincy tittles within his domain, and that is why there is an internal crisis in almost every community. There is always power play among chiefs in almost every community, but it has never been heard in history that one king headed another community outside his domain.”

VERDICT: Each of the claims presented above proved the reasons why one community traditional ruler or the other could be regarded as the most prominent traditional ruler in Ibarapa land, reiterating that at no point in history did any of the traditional rulers in Ibarapa rule over the entire region. However, the claim that Eleruwa of Eruwa and Onílàlá of Lanlate were once the rulers of Ibarapa land as published by Naijabiography and Opera News Hub is false and misleading.

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