The people of Olope Metta village in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State are asking Governor Seyi Makinde not to demolish their homes or take over their ancestral land.

They wrote a letter to the governor, begging him to stop the planned demolition. The letter was signed by Kamardin Ayotunde and Moshood Tiamiyu, both representatives of the village. It explained that the new government markings for road construction go deep into the village and cover almost all the homes, unlike previous markings which stayed outside the community.

Olope Metta is located along the old Oyo-Ibadan Road. On April 14, 2025, the Ministry of Works gave a 7-day demolition notice to the villagers. Since then, there has been fear and confusion among residents.

In their appeal, the villagers said their homes have been there for over 50 years and that they were not affected when the road was first expanded. Now, however, the government plans to take over what’s left of the village after part of it was already lost to the new Oyo-Ibadan Expressway.

“We are the true owners of this land. This is where our ancestors lived. If you destroy our village, we lose our identity,” the letter said. “We are not against development, but the government should respect our heritage.”

They pleaded with Governor Makinde to look into the issue, suggesting that if relocation is necessary, the government should give them another land instead of wiping out their village completely.

The people of Olope Metta want their ancestral home preserved. They are asking for understanding, help, and compassion from the government so they don’t lose the only place they have ever called home.

4o