Tension In Ondo Community Over Monarch Coronation’s Anniversary

There is palpable tension in Idepe-Okitipupa in Okitipupa Local Government area of Ondo State over the plan by the monarch of the town, Jegun of Idepe, Oba Adetoye Fatuga to celebrate the 20th anniversary of ascension to the throne of his forefathers.

Oba Obatuga has rolled out programmes to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his ascension to the throne despite the fact the High Court and Court of Appeal have deposed him as the monarch of the town.

However, the contenders to the throne through their lawyers, Adekola Olawuyi SAN and Kehinde Aladeduntire said the celebration if allowed would plunge the community into needless war by those for and against the monarch of the town.

In the petition to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Kayode Egbetokun, the lawyers said the way the State Commissioner of Police is handling the case might jeopardize the peace of the community and throw her into needless crisis.

The petition read “It is disturbing that despite providing relevant pieces of information and documents concerning the Jegun Chieftaincy tussle in their community, the Commissioner of Police rather than caution Prince Michael Adetoye Obatuga to desist from action capable of undermining the existing peace in the community gave his endorsement to his plans to disobey clear and subsisting declarations of the competent court

“What is more worrisome is the fact that the Commissioner of Police further threatened that he would not hesitate to arrest our clients in case of any breach of peace in the community.

“We are indeed very surprised at these prejudicial stances of the Commissioner of Police even as he, the Commissioner maintained that he would carry out any directive of his former boss.

“It is on record that in the year 2005, the community was plunged into serious security risks and breakdown of law and order on account of the attempt by Prince Michael Adetoye Obatuga and his stooges to carry out the function as an Oba in disobedience to the judgment of the court leading to murder of many and destruction of properties, and various degrees of violence.

“Since the said incident, there have been warnings against similar events such as the one Prince Michael Adetoye Obatuga and his stooges are planning in Idepe-Okitipupa.

“It is also on record that the Government as a preventive measure set up a committee from the three warring groups while the community palace “Ogwa” was to remain closed with the Divisional Police Officer to be in possession of the key. It is of note that the police were always being involved in this development.

“We are constraint to say that the failure of the Commissioner of Police to caution Prince Michael Adetoye Obatuga and his stooges against the plan to celebrate what he termed 20 years of coronation is a sheer deviation of the initial arrangement and thus an invitation to serious crises and breakdown of law and order.

“As ministers in the temple of justice, we wonder why the Commissioner of Police cannot advise Prince Michael Adetoye Obatuga to halt such a plan and allow the status quo remain but rather gave him consent to further his sinister plan despite having his appeal against the Judgment which removed/restrained him and his application for stay of execution dismissed with cost. This clearly shows partiality and bias by the Commissioner of Police.

“Our clients do not have any further confidence in the Commissioner of Police in the handling of the case as it smacks of bias and naked partiality.”