Scores of angry youths on Saturday went on
the rampage in Ayetoro, Yewa North Local
Government Area, Ogun State, following an
alleged assault on the Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba
Azeez Adelakun, by 10 village heads, popularly
called baales .
The youths also took to the streets on Sunday
and prevented the opening of the market in the
town, while other businesses were forced to
close shops.
The baales allegedly beat up Adelakun, cutting
the traditional royal beads off his neck over a
chieftaincy disagreement.
The fracas between the baales and the
monarch was said to have occurred at the
palace while Adelakun was making preparations
to install the new village head of Ago-Imala,
Chief Olayiwola Ajibola, a move which the
village heads allegedly opposed.
Our correspondent learnt that there had been
a tension between the baales and the monarch
over his installation of two village heads in the
Saala community, which boiled over on
Saturday when Adelakun moved to formalise
Ajibola’s headship of Ago-Imala community.
A resident, who pleaded anonymity, explained
that the village heads had requested a meeting
with the Oba.
He said, “When the monarch entered his palace
for the meeting, the aggrieved baales refused
to pay him the traditional homage and instead
told him that they no longer recognise him as
the traditional ruler of the town.
“One of the baales moved to forcibly remove
the royal beads from the monarch, but his
(monarch) resistance led to the fracas in the
palace. The baale beat him up.”
It was learnt that some youths of the
community learnt of the assault on the
monarch, they rushed to the palace and
descended on some of the baales, who were
still in the palace.
PUNCH Metro was told that the state
Commissioner of Police, Ikemefuna Okoye, later
led his men to restore normalcy in the area.
Our correspondent, who visited the town at
about 2.00pm on Saturday, observed bonfire
made by the aggrieved youth, who protested
the alleged assault on the monarch.
At the Orile Saala Road residence of the
monarch, our correspondent was told that the
monarch had lost his voice allegedly due to the
assault.
However, the Baale of Ayinbo-Ayetoro, Chief
Ezekiel Ogundele, who spoke on behalf of the
embattled monarch, alleged that his aggrieved
colleagues had planned to dethrone Adelakun.
Ogundele said, “They said Kabiyesi disgraced
them in Abeokuta and they will retaliate by
removing him as the king of the town. There
are two baales in Saala and the baales wanted
the two offices merged, but Kabiyesi disagreed,
saying he was the one that installed both of
them.
“This did not go down well with the aggrieved
baales who vowed to deal with the Kabiyesi by
removing him.
“When the baales got to the palace, they did
not pay homage and when the monarch asked
them why they failed to pay the homage they
said the Kabiyesi had been removed as the
king.They were about 10 in number.
“Some of them tore the traditional beads of the
king and beat him up. All of them had held a
meeting where they planned on how to attack
the king and they acted the script. As they
were beating the Kabiyesi, the Kabiyesi urged
his people not to touch them. Later the police
came and took them away.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa
Adejobi, who confirmed the incident, said that
19 Baales were involved in the crisis.
Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police,
added that only one person was injured in the
violence.
He said, “ Baale Keesan assaulted the monarch
by removing the beads from the king. The
youth in the area reacted, but the prompt
intervention of policemen saved the day and
only one person was injured.
“The Olu of Ilaro and Yewa Traditional council
have intervened. So, there is no need of arrest.
The Olu of Ilaro has intervened and normalcy
has been restored in the area.”

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