Kwara Court Grants Ipee Community Leave to Appeal Offa Land Judgment, Orders Stay of Execution
The Kwara State High Court, Ilorin Division, presided over by Justice Y. A. Dikko, has granted the application of the Ipee community to appeal against the recent judgment of the Offa High Court, which had declared that the Pooro (Odo Pooro) area belongs to the Offa community.
In its ruling delivered last week, the court:
– Recognised the Notice of Appeal filed on July 29, 2025 by the Ipee community as properly filed and duly served on all respondents.
– Ordered a stay of execution of the Offa High Court judgment pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.
– Issued an injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, or any persons acting through them from laying further claims to the disputed lands at Odo Pooro, Imolumo, and Akoye until the appeal is resolved.
The dispute has heightened tensions between the Ipee community in Oyun Local Government Area and the Offa community, particularly following the proposed siting of a Federal Government Housing Estate at Ile Poro in the Egunkara area. While Offa claims ownership of the land, Ipee insists the site falls within its territory.
The Ipee Progressive Union (IPU) described Offa’s claims as fabricated and unfounded, stressing that the land at Poro has a long historical association with the Ipee people. The Union noted that past concessions made to Offa were acts of goodwill for peaceful coexistence, not admissions of weakness.
The IPU urged the Offa Descendants Union (ODU) and families in Offa to desist from further claims over Ile Poro or any land within Ipee territory, warning that continued provocation could destabilise peace between the two communities.
Following the ruling, the President of IPU, Mr. Simeon Ayodele Ogunshola, alongside the Asiwaju of Ipee, Chief Olabode Afolayan, congratulated the Onipee of Ipee, Oba Muftau Adebayo Lawal, on what they described as a landmark victory.
The Union also commended Omokayode Dada, SAN, and his legal team for their steadfast representation, which ensured that the Ipee community secured judicial recognition of its right to challenge the ceding of its land at the Court of Appeal.
