3rd February, 2025
By Adejoke Adeleye /Ogun
Ogun state government has suspended a traditional ruler identified as Olorile of Orile Ifo, Oba Abdulsemiu Adewale Ogunjobi, who was seen leading assault on a 73-year-old man in a viral video for six months.
Oba Orile could be heard in a video circulating on the internet raining curses on the 73-year-old who was on his knees, even as people believed to his thugs intermittently slapped the man.
The traditional ruler was also heard threatening to kill or send the old man who pleaded that he was unwell to jail while boasting that he is in control of the police.
It was learnt that the traditional ruler was angry that the 73-year-old man did not support his Obaship tussle.
However, the traditional ruler was suspended after he was invited alongside his victim by the Ogun Commissioner for Ministry of Local Govt and Chieftaincy Affairs for interrogation in Abeokuta, the state capital on Monday.
The Ministry said the suspension of the traditional ruler became imperative as a result of the reckless utterances and public misconduct of the Kabiyesi as was evident in the social media and being bandied in the larger public space.
“After the investigation conducted on the matter, the Kabiyesi has been suspended and stripped of the paraphernalia of the stool of Olorile-Ifo pending the determination of his culpability or otherwise on the allegation.
“The foregoing decision was reached by the Ministry in conjunction with the Egba Traditional Council in accordance with Section 52(1) of the Obas and Chiefs’ Law of Ogun State 2021,” the Ministry said in the statement.
The Ogun State Police Command said on Monday that it has also invited the traditional ruler over the viral assault video.
The Oba is said to be a retired police officer, while the man he was seen assaulting has been identified as a chief, Oloye Areola Abraham.
A human rights group claim the Oba is fond of harassing people with his thugs in the community, because he is a retired officer.
