Oyo govt should not forcefully occupy the deaf land - Deaf, dumb protest

No fewer than 100 persons with hearing disabilities on monday staged a protest at the state secretariat in Ibadan over illegal procurement of 12 acres of their lands by the Oyo State Government.

The group said the Oyo State Government claimed 12 out of 39 acres of their lands situated along Lagos-Ibadan, Expressway for the reason best known to them.

The group members assembled at the front of the state Secretariat carrying placards with various inscriptions " Oyo state government should not forcefully occupy the deaf land, the deaf has the right to live a better life,  do not resettle people on our land, do not oppress the deaf, we need more than 39 acres for the proposed deaf university".

The National Chairman, Board of Trustees, Christian Mission for Deaf, Mr Silas Ike  who led the protest explained that the group on several occasions had written letters to the commissioner of lands concerning the case but yet to receive any response from his ministry.

" we came to meet with the commissioner for land last week tuesday, we learnt during our discussion that he didn't receive any of our letters and hasn't heard of our case. We decided promptly to stage a protest today so that Governor Abiola Ajimobi will rescue us".

We are here because we got the information that Oyo State Government wants to take over our land. The government wants to acquire the land we bought along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. We bought this land in 2004, and the total land we bought then was 39 acres. Our intention in acquiring this land is to transfer our nursery school, primary school, secondary school, technical school to the place. 

"We also intend to build a university for the deaf on the land. The university we are thinking of building for the deaf is going to be the first of its kind in the whole of Africa."

Ike  disclosed that the State Commissioner for land and housing had promised to relay the message to the state governor as soon as he gets  to the office.

Speaking with the State Commissioner for Land and Housing, Mr. Isaac Omodewu, he said " They are here on the issue of land and we have resolved it".