Monarchs rally support for Alaafin over murder allegation

Written by The Punch Friday, 16 July 2010

About 17 traditional rulers in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State on Thursday paid a solidarity visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, over his recent public allegation that the state Governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, was planning to kill him.

The traditional rulers, through their spokesmen, the Olokaka of Okaka, Oba Ayoola Olatunji, and the Onisanbo of Ogbooro, Oba Salami Adeteru, expressed worry over the development and asked the appropriate authorities to get to the root of the allegation.

They said they were shocked when they read about the allegation and deemed it fit to visit the first class monarch to express their solidarity.

They later went into a prayer session, asking God to preserve the life of the Alaafin.

While responding, Oba Adeyemi thanked them for the visit and said he was not moved by the various reactions his allegation had generated, but would only wait for the action of the Presidency on the matter.

He expressed the belief that the Presidency would unravel the mystery behind the attempted murder on his life.

Describing the issue as a serious one, the monarch said his subjects had been calling him from both within and outside the country to identify with him and express surprise.

He said, “Many of them are already planning to come over to Nigeria so as to know the true status of things but I keep telling them not to be disturbed. The evidence against those involved in this matter are overwhelming and let us keep our fingers crossed until the Presidency concludes its investigation.”

He asked the visiting traditional rulers not to be bothered by the antics of those making uncomplimentary remarks about the issue, saying, “I have not brought any case before them. I am expecting the findings of a higher authority in Abuja .”

Among the traditional rulers who converged on Alaafin’s palace to express their solidarity were the Oniganna of Iganna (Republic of Benin), Oba Gbadebowale Fatai; Onisemi, Alagere, Ona-Onibode, Baleiya, Onigbeti, Onigbope, Olugbo and Oloje of Oje-Owode.