The Offa descendants Union has urged Chief Afe Babalola to allow the panel set up to look into the land tussle between the people of the community and Erin Ile.
The group in a statement signed by its National General Secretary, Muideen Adebayo Ibrahim and made available to newsmen in Abuja said as much as it would not want to join issues with the erudite lawyer, it however expressed regrets over the comments accredited to him.
Ibrahim noted that said the comments credited to him was prejudicial and intended to bias the minds of the members of the Panel that was duly constituted by the Kwara State Government and also the general public against Offa.
He therefore urged the highly respected elderstatesman to allow the Panel carry out its assignment without any form of bias.
The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to the various publications credited to Chief Afe Babalola, SAN wherein he warned the Kwara State Governor and stated inter alia that Erin Ile won the case in Supreme Court in 1973.
“Offa is a community of responsible people and we do not intend to join issues with Chief Afe Babalola, SAN on what he said in the various publications. This is because the statement credited to him is highly prejudicial and intended to bias the minds of the members of the Panel that was duly constituted by the Kwara State Government and also the general public against Offa.
“Offa will present its position to the Panel at the most appropriate time. But be that as it may, the Supreme Court Judgement of 1973 did not award any part of Offa Land to Erin Ile.
“We sincerely plead to all to allow the Panel to do their job very well without being biased.
“Offa is a very peaceful town with people of high integrity and we have a lot of respect and regard for the members of the Panel that was constituted by the Kwara State Government.”
