Ayetoro Crisis: Leaders Ask IGP To Arrest Ojagbohunmi Over Religious Extremism

By Oluniyi Akintunde, Akure

Leaders of Ayetoro in Ilaje Local Government Areas of Ondo state have called for the immediate arrest of a prophet in the community, identified as Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi, for allegedly preaching strange doctrines that could lead to insurgency.

The leaders spoke with journalists under the auspices of the Peace of Jerusalem while raising alarm over alleged untoward activities of prophet Ojagbohunmi.

Mr Tola Alabere, the erstwhile Chairman of Ilaje LGA who spoke on behalf of the leaders, on Tuesday said peace has evaded  Ayetoro community since Ojagbohunmi started his prophetic business in 2006.

Alabere alleged that the prophet had also been running a parallel government with surreptitious move to forcefully ascend the throne of the Oba who also doubles as the spiritual leader.

He revealed that Ayetoro, a coastal community with a theocratic form of government has been under the control of Oba Micah Olaseni Ajijo who was installed in 2015 as the 6th Ogeloyinbo.

According to him, several efforts had been made by the leaders, government, police and Olugbo-In-Council under, Oba Fredrick Akinrutan to ensure peace rein in the coastal community to no avail.

The former council boss said that the ascension of Oba Micah Ajijo as the spiritual leader of the community followed established processes and ratification by the Ogeloyinbo-In-Council.

“The allegation that Oba Micah Olaseni Ajijo was imposed on Aiyetoro Community and the church is therefore false, malicious and a deliberate misinformation.

“The appointment painstakingly followed a due process in accordance with the age – long tradition of the church and the Constitution of the Holy Apostles’ Church, Aiyetoro.

“The hidden truth must be told that the entire opposition to the appointment of His Spiritual Majesty, Oba Micah Olaseni Ajijo which has been showcased in Aiyetoro Community till date has the undercurrent of the failed vaulting ambition of Mr. Oluwambe Ojagbohunmi to ascend the hallowed throne of the Ogeloyinbo of Aiyetoro and Spiritual Health of the church”, Alabere said.

He threatened that the community would resist peacefully any attempts by  Ojagbohunmi and his group to usurp the Ogeloyinbo throne through “religious fanaticism”.

Earlier, Oba Ajijo had accused prophet Ojagbohunmi of brainwashing some youngsters in the community under the guise of “prayer warriors” to destroy both private and public properties.

The monarch, who is the Ogeloyinbo and Spiritual Majesty of Holy Apostolic Church, Ayetoro Community, expressed surprised at the action of Ojagbohunmi whom he said was one of those who prophesied his emergence as king.

“He (Ojagbohunmi) even paid me homage in this same palace but it was unfortunate that he later declared himself as ‘Baba Alakoso and General Overseer’ of the holy church which is a position alien to the community’s custom” he said.

But in his reaction, Prophet Ojagbohunmi accused Oba Ajijo of imposing himself on the people of the coastal community.

Ojagbohunmi who spoke through one of his aides, Victor Akinluwa, said he was unanimously ordained by the people of the community as their leader.

He, however, denied reports that he was breeding some group of youngboys who would serve as rebellion against the doctrines of the community.

“The whole community doesn’t like the kangaroo arrangement by the so-called elites, that is why they kicked against it.

“Ojagbohunmi has never proclaimed himself as a king, it is the people that installed him as the ‘Alakoso’ of the community pending the time God will chose a king for us.” he said.