Produce Our King Hale And Hearty, Aiyetoro Community Tells Gov Akeredolu

By Niyi Olutunde, Akure

The people of Aiyetoro Community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo state, has raised an alarm over the missing of their king, Ogeloyinbo of Aiyetoro, Oba Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi.

Speaking for the Supreme Council of Elders and the entire residents of Aiyetoro in a press statement made available to CityMirrorNews in Akure on Wednesday, the Community’s Principal Secretary, Mr. Ademolu Atimishe said all they knew was that the governor and the Commissioner of police through the caretaker chairman invited the monarch to a security meeting which the king honoured.

The community however demanded for their missing king saying that the state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, through the Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Ilaje Local Govermnet, Hon. Atikase Otito should produce the monarch to community within 24 hours.

The Aiyetoro Community said it was strange that the whereabouts of the monarch was not known since Monday 14th January, 2019 and asked the police, Governor Akeredolu and Atikase to produce the monarch to his subjects hale and hearty.

The press statement reads thus, “We want draw the attention of the general public, security agencies and human right activists, that during our 72nd Founders’ Day Anniversary in Aiyetoro community, the king of Aiyetoro, HRH Oba Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi {JP} received a letter of invitation from the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, through the Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Ilaje Local Govermnet, Hon. Atikase Otito to “ ILAJE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SECURITY COMMITTEE MEETING”.

“As part of his efforts at enhancing continued peaceful co-existence among the people of our state, the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has directed that the security committee, Ilaje Local Government meets all the parties involved in the crisis in Aiyetoro community with a view to finding a lasting solution thereto. You are therefore invited to attend the meeting.

“Although, the letter came pretty late at about 11.40 am and the meeting, as stated in the letter, was to be held at 1.00 pm. Nevertheless, as our tradition dictates, during the week of our Founders’ Day Anniversary, the king is not to step out of the community.

“However, four (4) members of the Supreme Council of Elders of Aiyetoro were sent to represent the monarch but they were denied access to the venue of the meeting. As a result of this, the meeting, in agreement with the Chairman, Ilaje Local Government and Security Committee (The Police, The Navy, The Army), re-scheduled the meeting to Monday 14th January, 2019 by 12.00 noon.

“Being a peace-loving person, HRH Oba Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi [JP], left Aiyetoro to attend the re-scheduled meeting at the Naval Officers Mess, Igbokoda. Though, there was no meeting held as scheduled because the other party involved did not honour the invitation.

“Thereafter, the DPO, Divisional Headquarters, Igbokoda, Mr. Oladapo Williams persuasively lured our king to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gbenga Adeyanju, whom the DPO claimed had been wanting to see him (our king) and since then we are yet to see or hear from him (our king).

“In the light of this, the Supreme Council of Elders and the over 40,000 residents of Aiyetoro Community demand for the whereabouts of our monarch, HRH Oba Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi [JP], the Ogeloyinbo of Aiyetoro Community and the Spiritual Head of The Holy Apostles’ Church, from the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN; Chairman, Ilaje Local Government, Hon. Atikase Otito; Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr, Gbenga Adeyanju and the DPO, Igbokoda, Mr. Oladapo Williams.

“Speaking for the Supreme Council of Elders and the entire residents of Aiyetoro is Mr. Ademolu J. Atimishe” (Principal Secretary).

But it was however reported in the national dailies on Wednesday that the monarch on Tuesday arraigned in court and remanded in police custody by an Akure Chief Magistrate court for alleged armed robbery and arson.