SUMMARY

The common thread to forest administration and land-use decree is the conferment of ownership and power of distribution of forest and land on one person, the King or the state governor during colonial and post-colonial eras respectively. This invariably led to the mis-use of power that skewed resources allocation and distribution in favour of the privileged few at the expense of the generality of Nigerian people. This despotic action has, since then, generated a lot of controversies and conflicts between original landowners, governments and tenants in forests. Because of the nature of the problems so created and the apathy on the part of Nigerian governments, forest administration in Nigeria has not been able to address these conflictual relations. Lack of clear-cut institutional arrangements during colonial and post-independence eras had caused, and is still causing governance crises as the common man suffers several damages. This paper found that migrant farmers suffered untold damages in the hands of Ondo State Government as they were forcefully ejected out of their village, Orisunbare. The displacement of migrant farmers in Oluwa forest reserve in Ondo State of Nigeria confirms governance crises in Nigeria, especially the way conflict of interests between the stat