Violence in Nigeria
ASC-075287668-3743-01
ASC-075287668-3743-01
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Politically, the LGA is divided <strong>in</strong>to ten wards, each produc<strong>in</strong>g a councillor to<br />
represent it at the council’s legislative arm. The wards are distributed among the<br />
towns and villages that constitute the LGA as follows: Awo/Abudo, Ara I, Ara II,<br />
Ido-Osun/Egbedi, Iragberi I, Iragberi II, Iwoye/ Ekuro/ Idoo/Origo, Ikotun/Olope,<br />
Ojo/Aro, and Ok<strong>in</strong>ni/Ofatedo/Olorunsogo. 2 S<strong>in</strong>ce the commencement<br />
of the fourth republic, the chairmanship position <strong>in</strong> the LGA is rotated among the<br />
<strong>in</strong>digenes of the major towns. Individual towns and villages are also adm<strong>in</strong>istered<br />
traditionally by the obas (k<strong>in</strong>gs) and chiefs, who essentially handle non-violent<br />
conflicts and other civil matters that may be referred to them. There are two<br />
prom<strong>in</strong>ent religions, Christianity and Islam, as well as the traditional religions <strong>in</strong><br />
various constituent communities.<br />
As a result of the proximity of some of its settlements to the state capital, the<br />
LGA enjoys many of the benefits of the developments around the seat of power.<br />
Among these are relatively regular electricity, potable water, communication and<br />
transport facilities, and other physical and economic development programmes.<br />
For <strong>in</strong>stance, Ido-Osun, one of the towns <strong>in</strong> the LGA, currently hosts the state<br />
office of the National Communication Commission, a proposed <strong>in</strong>ternational airport<br />
(under construction), the relocated sawmill and plank market, and a new <strong>in</strong>ternational<br />
market complex (under construction). In addition, junior and senior<br />
government workers, as well low- and high-level <strong>in</strong>come earners <strong>in</strong> the private<br />
sector, now see some satellite towns <strong>in</strong> the LGA as alternative places to reside<br />
and are build<strong>in</strong>g their houses <strong>in</strong> the area. Towns like Ofatedo, Ok<strong>in</strong>ni, Ido-Osun,<br />
Olorunsogo, and up as far as Egbedi are be<strong>in</strong>g rapidly built up to provide accommodation<br />
to people who work <strong>in</strong> the state capital.<br />
However, these developments are also a source of violence <strong>in</strong> various forms <strong>in</strong><br />
the LGA. As a result of the pressure on land, competition has become so severe<br />
that both <strong>in</strong>ter- and <strong>in</strong>tra-community clashes have sometimes led to deaths. Furthermore,<br />
the volume of traffic as well as the pressure on villagers to improve<br />
their <strong>in</strong>comes to compete favourably with the new settlers <strong>in</strong> the market are additional<br />
sources of problems. This has also led to traffic-related deaths <strong>in</strong> the council<br />
area.<br />
Ifedayo<br />
Ifedayo LGA was carved out of the old Ila LGA <strong>in</strong> September 1991, as noted <strong>in</strong><br />
the Federal Government Gazette No. 54 of 2 October 1991. This border LGA <strong>in</strong><br />
the State of Osun shares boundaries with Kwara and Ekiti states, thus mak<strong>in</strong>g it<br />
the farthest from the state capital at Osogbo. Ifedayo has only two major towns:<br />
163<br />
2<br />
Egbedore local government website. http://www.egbedore.com/overview.php. Accessed 2 October<br />
2014.