- Describes Sponsored Radio Jingle As Misleading
THE office of the Deputy Governor, Ekiti State has denounced claims by Odo Community, a farmstead under Ado-Ekiti, that it had resolved a land dispute between it and Ilawe-Ekiti in its favour.
A misleading radio jingle, sponsored by the Odo Community is currently being aired on some radio stations within the state claiming that the state government had, during a recent mediation meeting by the office of the Deputy Governor, resolved the lingering land dispute in its favour.
The Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, on Tuesday, urged all the stations airing the misleading advertorial to halt the jingle to avert an internal crisis between the two feuding communities, adding that airing of such unfounded, deceptive and divisive message could cause confusion and spark off internal unrest that could lead to violence.
“Our attention has been drawn to a radio jingle sponsored by Odo Community and being aired on Fresh FM, 106.9 to the effect that the Ekiti State Boundary Commission under the supervision of the Deputy Governor, had resolved a pending land dispute in its favour during a recent meeting held at the behest of the Deputy Governor.
“We are using this medium to clarify that the meeting was supposed to hold on 11th May 2023, but the Deputy Governor and stakeholders directed that the meeting be rescheduled for another date because one of the parties, had no representation at the meeting.
“As a peace-loving and right-thinking government, we thought it would be inappropriate for us to start adjudicating on a sensitive issue of that nature with one party having no representation.
“We found it deceptive, disappointing and embarrassing that a party to the land dispute pending before us, and which no final decision had been taken, could be claiming victory over a matter that has not come to finality.
“We hereby direct that such advertorial should stop forthwith, as we found it capable of igniting confusion, unrest and preemptive to the action that will be taken by the government on the pending matter”, a statement signed by Victor Ogunje, Special Assistant on Media (Office of the Deputy Governor) read in part.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor has directed the representatives of the two communities to appear at her office on Thursday, 25th May 2023, to begin interaction that will lead to the resolution of the crisis.
Eighteen-Eleven Media