Yoruba Youth Group Calls for Peaceful Resolution of Osun Communal Crisis

A socio-cultural group, the Yoruba Youth Socio-Cultural Association (YYSA), has urged stakeholders to take urgent and lasting steps to resolve the ongoing communal conflict among the Ifon-Osun, Ilobu, and Erin-Osun communities in Osun State.

The Osun State Coordinator of the group, Prince Sesan Opadoyin, made this appeal in a statement issued on Monday in Osogbo. He emphasized the need for peace and called on all parties to embrace dialogue rather than violence.

The call for peace comes in the wake of violent clashes over land ownership, which have led to loss of lives and destruction of properties. In response, the Osun State government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on the affected communities to curb further unrest.

Opadoyin condemned the bloodshed and destruction, describing the situation as unacceptable. He questioned whether violence and division were the legacy the communities wanted to leave for future generations.

“As communities bound by history, culture, and even blood ties, we must ask ourselves: Is this the legacy we want to leave behind?” he said. “The destruction of lives and properties, displacement of innocent families, and the ongoing fear that has gripped these communities are unacceptable. No land, no boundary, no dispute is worth the blood of our people. It is time to end this cycle of violence and embrace a path of peace, dialogue, and mutual understanding.”

The YYSA also urged youths in the warring communities to shun violence, stating that they should not allow past conflicts to dictate their future.

Meanwhile, the imposed curfew has begun to take its toll on residents, with many struggling to access basic needs. A transporter, Hammed Ademola, lamented the hardship, saying his family would not be able to endure the curfew for long without severe consequences.

Stakeholders have been urged to intervene and find a lasting solution to the crisis before more innocent lives are affected.