A 21 August 1997 report from the United Nation's Department of Humanitarian Affairs' Integrated Regional Information Network-West Africa (IRIN-WA) Daily Media Database Update states that fighting erupted between the Ife and the Modakeke in the Nigerian state of Osun after it was decided on 21 August 1997 that local government headquarters would be moved from Enuwa to the Ife-controlled locality of Oke-Ogbo. The article does not mention at what level of authority the decision was made.

An undated report published on the Nigeria Today Website states that the Olabode George Committee that investigated the Ife-Modakeke crisis had made some recommendations and blamed the former military administrator of Osun state, Col. Anthony Oby (retired) for having made the wrong decision in moving the "Ife-East Council headquarters to Modakeke from Enuwa and later to Oke-Ogbo."

A 14 July 2000 Vanguard Daily publication of the "Minutes of Secret Meetings Between Bode George, Ifes and Modakekes," states that Bode George, the chairman of a committee investigating the Ife-Modakeke crisis, had secret meetings with representatives of the Ife and the Modakeke. The Minutes account for the memorendum presented on behalf of the Modakeke by Barrister Goke Akinrotimi. The Minutes account for the memorandum's version of the origins as well as the immediate and remote causes of the Ife-Modakeke conflict as follows:

21. Presentation of Memorandum from Modakeke: Historical Right of Abode

21.1 Presenting the memorandum on behalf of the Modakeke, Barrister Goke Akinrotimi traced the movement of some of the Oyo people to Ile- Ife after the fall of Oyo Empire. In 1840, the reigning Ooni then granted settlement of the displaced Oyo people outside Ile-Ife. He said that the then Oyo people are Modakeke. He traced the christening of the place now

Modakeke to the sounds incessantly made by some "Ako" birds which Ifa oracle when contacted translated to Modakeke.

21.2. He cited some and presented relevant documents of historical values such as the "History of Yoruba" by Rev. Johnson, books written by Chief Ajayi Fabunmi, T. S. Ade Ajayi and J. B. Webster claiming Modakeke as a separate town and that Oyo refugees were allowed their own city of Modakeke.

22. Present Status of Ogunsua

22.2. He cited the Oranmiyan Chieftaincy Declaration of 1978 of Oyo State now applicable in Osun State which recognizes Baale of Modakeke as the third in rank to the Ooni - Law of Oyo State Volume 1 of 1978. He said that while other Baales had been ungraded it was only Baale of Modakeke that had not been upgraded with a beaded crown.

23. Salaries of Ife Chiefs

23.1. He said that salaries of Ife Chiefs in towns and villages were spelt out in a letter dated 23rd October 1946 and Ipetumodu and Modakeke were the only two towns in Ife area while others were regarded as villages in 1946.

24. Treaty of Peace 1886

24.1. He said that the Treaty of peace of 1886 could not be implemented and was not signed by any Modakeke.

25. Ownership of Land

25.1 He said that the Treaty of Peace of 1886 could not be implemented and was not signed by any Modakeke.

26. Recent Development

26.1 Barrister Goke Akinrotimi went on to say that the recent development was triggered by the attempt by Ife people to destroy the identity of Modakeke and the incessant blocking of developmental projects of the town. He cited the following as the root of recent development in Ife and Modakeke;

(i) Opposition of Ife to all Modakeke self rule attempts;

(ii) Coronation Speech of the Ooni Olubuse II who vowed to continue the mission of his fore father; and

(iii) Perpetual tendency to oppose Modakeke.

27. Immediate and Remote Cause of the Conflict

27.1. He referred to the Old Oranmiyan local government which was broken into three local government areas on the basis of the three federal constituencies. (Their Modakekes) refusal to be merged with Ile-Ife and attempt of Ife people to dismember Modakeke by distributing the four wards in Modakeke between three local government thereby reducing the political power of Modakekes.

27.2. He also referred to the recommendation of Ibidapo Obe, a Bill passed by Oyo State House of Assembly creating a local government for Modakeke and the intention of Ife to fractionalise Modakeke. He therefore appealed to the committee to take a hard look into the issues and find a permanent solution the crisis.

28. Creation of Ife East Local Government

28.1. Barrister Akinrotimi said that Modakeke submitted memoranda for the creation of Ife north east local government to Mr. Mbanefo commission and that the memo was accepted by the Federal Government. He said that Mr. Dagogo Jack the National Electoral commission confirmed in his letter of 12th February, 1996 that Ife east was carved out from Ife North Local Government adding that the approved Ife East Local Government was based on the memo submitted by Modakeke. He referred to some Federal Government Gazettes indicating that Modakeke is the Headquarters of Ife East local government.

28.2. He said that emolument of Traditional Ruler and Chiefs in Modakeke have not been paid since 1997; Primary Schools in the town have been distributed to two local governments and Ife killed and drove away Modakeke from their farmlands.

The Minutes also account for the observations of Ife Chiefs on the memorandum submitted on behalf of the Ife:

34. Observation

Chief Orafidiya observed that some assertions were made by Modakeke without any proof to substantiate them. These are;

(i) No written proof of granting land either to individuals or Modakeke as a community by Ooni Abewela;

(ii) No boundary of the land granted them by the Ooni Abewale was mentioned;

(iii) Failure to mention any action or act of subjugation by the people Modakeke;

(iv) That out of three (3) millionaires in Ife that Modakeke has two (2);

(v) Marginalisation was not proved;

(vi) Their failure to pay tax to Ife East Local Government;

(vii) The bill passed into law in Oyo state was not signed;

(viii) Denial of having taken any farmland from Ife people.

35. Contributing Chief Omidiora observed that Modakeke applied for Ife North East and was not approved. He contended that it was the request for Ife East local government by Ifes that was approved and created. On the land claimed to have been granted them by the Ooni Abewale, Modakekes avoided mentioning the actual place, the extent of the land and its boundary.

36. On the allegation that Modakeke was not allowed to develop, Chief Orafidiya reminded Modakeke that the Ifes and Modakekes share the same social facilities such as water supply, electricity, and road. He questioned whether Modakeke is now asking that the present Ife East Local Government be transferred to them or asking for a new local government (Vanguard Daily 14 July 2000).

No further information on the initiation and the process by which the Federal Government created in 1995 a local government headquarters in the Modakeke area of Ile-Ife could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Integrated Regional Information Network-West Africa (IRIN-WA) Daily Media Update 33-97. 21 August 1997. "Nigeria: Situation Calms in Osun." http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/Newsletters/irinw33.html [Accessed 16 Jan. 2001]

Nigeria Today [Lagos]. n.d. Seun Adeoye, Osogbo. "Government to Implement Panel's Report on Ife-Modakeke." http://www.nigeriatoday.com/govt_to_implement_panel.htm [Accessed 16 January 2001]

Vanguard Daily [Lagos]. 14 July 2000. "Minutes of Secret Meetings Between Bode George, Ifes and Modaketes." http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200007140200.html [Accessed 16 Jan. 2001]

IRB databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

Internet sources including:

Relief Web

U.K. Home Office Country Assessments. Nigeria

World News Connection (WNC)

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Oral source:

Failed attempt to contact one oral source within the research time limits