Aiyedatiwa Orders Audit of Ondo Forest Reserve, Assures Farmers of Protection
AKURE, Ondo State — June 8, 2026
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has ordered a comprehensive boundary audit of a disputed forest reserve linked to Rex Forestry Limited in Ondo West Local Government Area, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to protecting farmers while promoting investment through a structured mixed land-use system.
The governor gave the directive on Monday during a meeting with farmers from 27 affected communities at the Cocoa Conference Hall in Akure, amid ongoing disputes over land concessions within the forest reserve.
Aiyedatiwa said the state government would implement a clear land-use framework that accommodates both local farmers and investors within properly defined boundaries, stressing that decisions would be guided by verified data rather than speculation.
According to the governor, conflicting claims exist regarding the actual size of the concession, with figures ranging between 37,000 and 50,000 hectares. Community representatives, however, maintain that about 10,000 hectares of the land are currently under cultivation by local farmers.
To resolve the dispute, Aiyedatiwa directed the Surveyor-General to undertake a detailed verification and demarcation exercise to establish the exact boundaries of the concession.
He assured farmers that their cocoa plantations would remain protected throughout the audit process.
“They are not touching your cocoa trees until we finish verification,” the governor said.
Aiyedatiwa explained that if adjustments become necessary after the verification exercise, the government would adopt a phased transition approach rather than forceful displacement. He added that alternative farmlands and seedlings would be provided to any affected farmers.
The governor also disclosed plans to establish new farm settlements as part of a long-term agricultural restructuring programme aimed at sustaining production and improving rural livelihoods.
Emphasising the importance of balancing economic growth with community interests, Aiyedatiwa described large-scale investors as critical partners in job creation, industrial development and infrastructure expansion.
He noted that concessions granted by previous administrations remain legally valid and that policy continuity must be maintained in land administration.
The governor further revealed that a private investor is currently constructing a 27-kilometre road valued at approximately N1 billion to improve access to farming communities in the area.
According to him, the project is expected to enhance market access for farmers and create employment opportunities for local youths.
Aiyedatiwa urged residents to avoid confrontations with investors and instead channel their grievances through appropriate government institutions.
He advocated a mixed land-use model that allows smallholder farmers and large-scale agribusinesses to coexist, describing both as essential to sustainable agricultural development in the state.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA), Emmanuel Omomowo, said the government had been mediating disputes arising from investor concessions within forest reserves.
Omomowo explained that Rex Forestry Limited holds a 37,000-hectare concession, but unresolved boundary issues and competing claims from host communities had necessitated high-level government intervention.
He expressed confidence that the governor’s intervention would produce a lasting solution that protects community interests while preserving investor confidence.
Also speaking, the General Chairman of the Ondo Ilulade Cocoa Farmers Cooperative Society, Chief Philip Akinbanjo, commended the governor for assuring farmers that their cocoa plantations would not be affected by the ongoing verification exercise.
Meanwhile, Olu Agunloye, Special Stakeholders Adviser to Rex Forestry, said the company had previously agreed with the Ministry of Agriculture to allow farmers to continue cultivating non-cleared portions of the concession.
He stated that the company had accepted the governor’s directives and would operate within the framework being developed to ensure peaceful coexistence between investors and local farming communities.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Governor Olayide Adelami, Chief of Staff Segun Omojuwa, Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry Leye Akinola, lawmakers, traditional rulers and other stakeholders.
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