| The burnt house and cars |
By Chiemelie Ezeobi
The Adodo community in Ogun State yesterday declared its traditional ruler, the Olofin of Adodo, Oba Lateef Akanni, persona non grata, beating him up and burning the palace with his wife and kids locked up indoors.
It was gathered that the victims would have been roasted to death save for the quick response of the Commanding Officer, 192 Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Ahmed, who stormed the palace with a retinue of soldiers and rescued the woman and her kids.
Asides beating the traditional ruler and setting the palace ablaze, the community also burnt about three cars that was in the compound as well as vandalised the entire property. It was also gathered that the grouse of the community against Akanni boiled down to his alleged draconian attitude incessantly meted out to the residents especially by his followers and aides.
The community alleged that the victim often times battered persons who refused to prostrate or give him accolades befitting his status as the traditional ruler.
They also alleged that motorists or commercial motorcyclists who block his convoy are also at the receiving end of his alleged brutality.
It was on one of such occasions of allegedly brutality against a commercial motorcyclist that the villagers finally revolted and beat up the chief alongside his driver.
Eyewitness account said Akanni was in a motorcade when his driver allegedly hit a motorcycle and the rider fell. The traditional ruler had allegedly ordered his driver to slap the motorcycle rider but the rider retaliated.
Eyewitnesses said the traditional ruler who was furious at the rider's action had gotten down from the car and slapped the driver. The community members who witnessed the incident were said to have been furious and unleashed terror on the chief, his aide and driver.
While the fracas was ongoing, the enraged youths of the community set path to the palace, vandalised and set the building ablaze with the traditional ruler's family indoors.
The chief was beaten unconscious and was taken to King's Cross Hospital, Otta, Idiroko Road, Owode, Ogun State. His injured wife and children were later rushed to the same hospital.
But when THISDAY visited the hospital, the medical personnel on duty, Laurence Rufut, said the hospital was forced to refer the traditional ruler and his family to another hospital in Abeokuta for security reasons.
The hospital had exercised fears that the community might extend the crisis to the hospital and burn the place to the ground all in a bid to get the chief.
Speaking to THISDAY at the entrance of the palace, the Daguro of Igbesa Land, Chief Ayeni Adeoye, said they have been living in fear of the traditional ruler throughout his four years of rule.
He said, "I have not slept in my house for over a week because I am scared I would be brutalised again. I was a victim of his brutality in 2009 when my house was burnt and so many people arrested.
"He beats and threatens people who do not salute him. He is not even a native of Adodo but was imposed on us by the former Governor, Gbenga Daniel. We have been in court for almost two years to see his removal.
"When the government of Ibikunke Amosun came into power, he ensued for peace. Over 10 months ago, the truth commission that was set up to address the petition by over 35 petitioners said the Akanni has a case to answer over the mayhem in 2009 but nothing has happened since then."
Also speaking, another resident and alleged victim of the brutality, Temitope Akapo, said despite the treaty by Amosun, the community merely existed in a graveyard peace which erupted yesterday.
She said, "During the last incident, I was arrested when I was sitting in front on my father's house and they charged me for murder. I was the only woman in the group. I was held for 11days in the station before I was sentenced to prison. I spent over month there before I was eventually released.
"Although I don't know who set the palace ablaze, all I can say is that we are tired. We are calling on the government to save us and remove this present traditional ruler. He doesn't want our good at all."
Speaking to THISDAY, the CO, Ahmed who led the rescue said, "I was waiting for the General Officer Commanding (GOC ), 81 Division, Major General Obi Umahi, to arrive Owode for the annual range classification exercise when the information about the mayhem filtered in.
"At first, I detailed some of my men on patrol at Ipokia to move in but considering the distance, I decided to visit the area myself. On getting there, I saw that the palace was ablaze already.
"And from the fire, I could hear the voice of a woman and children crying for help. The woman turned out to be the traditional ruler's wife. In fact, they were already shocking from the smoke inhalation. My men braved the fire and rescued them."
Ahmed said when he learnt that the police who had come in during the rescue operation had taken the victim to the police station instead of the hospital, he had gone to the station and made sure she was taken to the hospital for treatment first.
He said after the rescue operations, they had gone back to investigate the cause of the fracas and learnt from the chiefs that they were tired of the traditional ruler's draconian rule.
He said, "I spoke with some of the elders and they said they don't want him again since the case was already in court. No arrest was made and no life was lost save for the traditional ruler and the wife who were injured.
"Part of our responsibility is to affect rescue which we have done already. So, we have handed over to the police to conduct their investigations. So at now, we have pulled out our men."
Also speaking, the GOC, Umahi said such efforts by the army is part of what has been going on in their respective areas of responsibility, adding that his men have been dispensing their duties responsibly.
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