The farmers mostly deal in Cocoa, Cashew, Banana, Yam, and Cassava farming at the government reserve in Ofosu in Idanre Local Council Area of the state.
Angry farmers in Ondo State have kicked against the alleged decision of the Governor Rotimi Akeredolu-led state government to sell their farmland to foreigners.
The farmers mostly deal in Cocoa, Cashew, Banana, Yam, and Cassava farming at the government reserve in Ofosu in Idanre Local Council Area of the state.
The protesters, armed with placards bearing different inscriptions, took to the streets on Monday, blocking the Lagos/Benin highway.
Their placards read, "Respect Our Right to Livelihood"; Don't Give Our Land to Mindless Capitalists"; We Want to Remain Farmers and not Armed Robbers"; No Farmers, No Nation"; Please Don't Take our Farms" among others.
The farmers, in their numbers, accused the state government of selling the farmlands to a popular Chinese company, despite their huge quarterly pay.
Addressing journalists, the leader of the protesters, Kazeem Akinrimisi, said the farmers are about to lose over 20,000 acres of farmlands to the Chinese company.
He explained that the farmers, who currently occupy 74 camps in the Ofosu community, had been farming on the land for over 20 years.
He revealed that the farmers had been cooperating with the government directives since 2019 without any misunderstanding between the two parties.
According to him, no fewer than 25,000 farmers were captured in the data registration of the state government during enrolment for the government reserve.
Akinrimisi, however, wondered why the decision of the state government without proper briefing of the farmers using the land farming.
"The farmers had been paying their dues to the state government agencies for farming on the government reserve for years", he added.
While noting that he had paid N6 million as his dues for farming on the land to the state's internally generated revenue, Akinrimisi begged the state government to allow farmers to acquire the land instead of foreigners.
Another farmer, Ezekiel Olatunji, also explained that he had been farming on the land for over 20 years, stressing that he had paid N1.2million as his due to the government.
He noted that he was surprised by the government's decision to sell the land to foreigners, adding that Cocoa was a major foreign exchange to Nigeria.
The octogenarian, pleaded with governor Akeredolu to consider the means of livelihood of the farmers who mainly depend on farming to cater to their families.
Reacting, the traditional ruler of the Ofosu community, Henry Olumakaye, pleaded with the farmers to be peaceful with a promise to meet the state government on the issue.