Panic and uncertainty have gripped the residents and indigenes of Olope Metta village in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State following a demolition notice served by the state government.
The villagers, in a passionate appeal to Governor Seyi Makinde, have urged the administration to halt plans to demolish their homes, describing the move as a threat to their ancestral heritage and identity.
In a Save Our Soul letter addressed to the governor, a copy of which was made available on Wednesday, the community expressed fear that the entire village may be erased due to the planned demolition. The letter was jointly signed by Kamardin Ayotunde and Moshood Tiamiyu, spokesperson and secretary of the Akinyele family, respectively.
Located along the old Oyo-Ibadan Road in Ibadan, Olope Metta village was issued a 7-day demolition notice on Monday, April 14, 2025, by the Oyo State Ministry of Works. According to residents, the new demolition markings now cover virtually all the homes in the village—unlike previous road expansion efforts which spared the community.
“We are the true indigenes of Olope Metta. This village is our origin,” the letter stated. “Initially, during the road expansion, they didn’t enter our village. Now, every single house has been marked for demolition. If this goes ahead, we will be left homeless, with no heritage to call our own.”
The community revealed that a significant portion of their land had already been taken during the construction of the Oyo-Ibadan Expressway. Now, they fear the remaining portion may also be seized, erasing their roots entirely.
“They want to take what’s left of our ancestral land. Even houses that have stood for more than 50 years are now marked. If this happens, how do we prove we are from Olope Metta? Where do we go?” the villagers queried.
The residents appealed to Governor Makinde to intervene and instruct the Ministry of Works to reconsider its plan. They also proposed alternative solutions such as relocation or land compensation if demolition is unavoidable.
“We are not opposed to development, but not at the cost of wiping out our identity. We beg the government to either relocate us properly or allow us to remain where they found us,” the appeal concluded.
As tensions rise in Olope Metta, the community awaits a response from the state government that could determine the future of their ancestral land.
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