Palace Queens (Oloris) Attack: One Shot, Many Wounded As Violence Rocks Ekiti Over Traditional Festival

One person was shot on Friday night, May 27, as the celebration of Odun Oba and Olosunta traditional festivals in Ikere-Ekiti turned violent.

The Odun Oba Festival celebrated by the Ogoga, Oba Adejimi Adu Alagbado, reached its peak yesterday with paying of homage and celebration of the New Yam.

The climax of the festival also marked the commencement of the weeklong Olosunta festival by Olukere, Ganiyu Ayodele Obasoyin.

Soldiers, riot policemen and men of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have mounted guard in Odo Oja area, which was the battleground to prevent a reoccurrence of violence in the town.

Olukere and Ogoga are trading accusations on who caused the violence which started Friday night and continued till the early hours of Saturday.

Ogoga alleged Olukere’s thugs attacked the Oloris (palace queens) on Friday and wounded some of them during a traditional dance to some locations in the town.

Olukere alleged security men working for Ogoga invaded his (Olukere’s) palace at about 1.00am on Saturday shooting sporadically.

Obasoyin also alleged the billboard mounted in Odo Oja area to advertise the Olosunta Festival was vandalised by Ogoga’s loyalists.

He said: “Ogoga’s security men shot one of my boys, Oladimeji Aluko. He was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

“I am indoors because the Olosunta festival commenced today (Saturday). Information reached me that they invaded my palace and were firing gunshots.

“When they could not find me, they went to my private residence in Ado where they were resisted but they also shot somebody there.

“We found eight to ten pellets on the ground from their gunshots and we have informed the Commissioner of Police.”

“I don’t have any problem with Ogoga, all I am demanding from the state government is my staff of office because I am King in this community and they should give me my right.”

But Oba Adejimi Adu Alagbado fired back: “There is a thug who called himself Olukere, Ganiyu Obasoyin. He is an impostor because he was not approved by the prescribed authority, the Ogoga.

“Yesterday (Friday), all the oloris danced from the palace to the Post Office area, the land belongs to the Aladeselu family.

“Obasoyin and his thugs attacked the women there shooting guns on the day ‘Opekele Ayaba.’ His thugs seized their two cameras, destroyed their drums and some old women fainted, the local trumpeter was attacked.

“Ikere has only one Oba, the Ogoga, Odo Oja is headed by Ologotun.

“Obasoyin has constituted himself as a nuisance in this town.

“Nobody can be a chief in this town without my approval. Who owns this town? Can you divide my town for me? We are waiting for the current Police regime to do their job.”

Police Public Relations Officer, Caleb Ikechukwu, Deputy Superintendent of Police could not be reached for comments at press time as his phone was switched off.

He was yet to respond to a text message sent to him.

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