Eba Island: Ogun Reaffirms Authority
The Ogun State Government has officially reaffirmed its territorial jurisdiction over Eba Island. This strategic coastal territory, located in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area, recently attracted national attention. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently approved the commencement of drilling activities at a revitalized oil well there. However, conflicting claims from certain quarters in Ondo State have triggered potential communal tensions. The Ogun state administration issued a firm statement on Sunday to clarify the island’s legal status. They dismissed any contrary assertions as misleading and detrimental to local peace. Furthermore, the government insists that constitutional maps clearly place the island within its borders.
Officials noted that the National Boundary Commission (NBC) possesses properly documented records of these frontiers. Special Adviser to the Governor, Kayode Akinmade, stated that the island’s status predates national independence. He argued that the 1976 state-creation exercise explicitly situated Eba within Ogun Waterside. Furthermore, no subsequent constitutional amendment or judicial ruling has altered this established administrative boundary. The government clarified that while two locations share the name “Eba,” the larger island is theirs. This larger island houses the specific oil well recently approved for commercial hydrocarbon exploration. Consequently, any external claim to this specific asset lacks both legal and historical backing.
The presidency’s approval for drilling followed extensive verification by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. Furthermore, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission conducted its own due diligence on the coordinates. These federal institutions confirmed the well lies within Ogun State before granting operational clearance. In a related development, the state disclosed a 2024 encounter involving a traditional ruler from Ondo. The Molokun of Atijere, Oba (Dr.) Samuel Adeoye Edema I reportedly sought permission from HRM Oba Kazeem Adesina Salami (Ilufemiloba 1) the Osobia of Makun-Omi to conduct business on Eba. This request, later declined, serves as a tacit acknowledgment of Ogun’s administrative authority over the land. Furthermore, national security assets, including naval formations, currently protect the drilling site under federal recognition.
The Ogun government also addressed historical arguments based on colonial documents from the early twentieth century. They pointed to the 1950 Colonial Government Gazette as the superseding legal authority on boundaries. Furthermore, survey documents from the Olokola Free Trade Zone establish the island as an Ogun asset. Administrative validation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) further reinforces this longstanding jurisdictional claim. The primary school polling unit at Eba is officially registered under the Makun/Irokun Ward in Ogun. This consistent administrative presence demonstrates decades of uninterrupted governance by the Ogun State authorities. Conversely, the Ondo-based claims rely on outdated 1919 maps that are no longer legally relevant.
Strategic deployment of geospatial and cartographic technology has confirmed the well’s precise location within Ogun’s corridor. The state continues to work closely with federal agencies to secure the multi-billion naira asset. Furthermore, the people of the Makun-Omi Kingdom have pledged to maintain peace and protect the infrastructure. The government warned against the spread of inflammatory narratives that could destabilize the sensitive coastal region. They called for responsible engagement from all stakeholders to avoid avoidable and counterproductive communal friction. For now, the legal and historical facts remain firmly on the side of the Ogun administration. The discovery of oil should serve as a catalyst for growth rather than a source of conflict.