Araromi-Obu youths under the umbrella of the Araromi Obu Youth Council have accused Rubber Estate Nigeria Limited of breaching agreements governing its operations in the community and subjecting residents to unfair treatment.
Speaking with Peak Newspaper Nigeria, Araromi Obu Youth president, Comrade Dayo Akinro, alleged that the agro-allied company—engaged in rubber plantation development, harvesting, processing, and export—has been “dehumanizing, inflicting psychological torture, and oppressing” residents of Araromi-Obu, its host community in Ondo State.
Akinro explained that historically, the company would always reach an understanding with the community whenever it intended to uproot unused rubber trees. Such agreements, he said, ensured that both parties benefitted from the process. However, in early 2025, the company allegedly turned hostile and failed to duly recognize the host community.
He recalled that in 2024, youth representatives of Araromi-Obu were invited to a meeting where they were introduced to a subcontracted firm tasked with uprooting the trees. At the meeting, both sides reached an understanding that only Araromi-Obu operators would handle the uprooting exercise, transportation logistics would be managed by members of the community, the community would issue permit tickets to trucks transporting the trees, and tree residues would be left behind for the locals. It was also agreed, according to Akinro, that the host community would be fairly compensated for its cooperation.
Despite this agreement, Akinro alleged that Rubber Estate Nigeria Limited began uprooting the trees earlier this year without fulfilling its obligations to the community. He further claimed that only a few days ago, the company brought in heavy machinery, including bulldozers, to continue uprooting trees without consulting or compensating the community as agreed.
In reaction to what they described as “unjust and oppressive treatment,” members of the Araromi-Obu Youth Council staged a peaceful protest.
The youths demanded accountability, fairness, and transparency from Rubber Estate Nigeria Limited, insisting that the company must respect the host community and honor its commitments.
When contacted, the Security and Public Relations Manager, Araromi-Obu Rubber Estates Nigeria Limited, Chief Dayo Ikusika was unable to respond to Peak Newspaper Nigeria, citing unavailability as the time of filing this report.
