‘Fake’ kidnapping and Ogbomoso Cradles Carnival: Can people be so vile?
Ben GEORGE
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Last Tuesday, news quickly circulated in social media handles that a young man in Ogbomoso, Oyo state, Adebayo Fagbohun, had been abducted at Aroje/Abaa area. Incidentally, in the neighbourhood of a similar kidnapping in 2022, which led to national outrage after the victims were murdered despite payment of ransom.
Bayo under investigation for fake kidnapping
The reported kidnapping of Fagbohun said to be a father of three and an electrician inevitably sent shock waves around Ogbomoso and beyond, with people fearing a resurgence of abduction for ransom moreover when parts of the neighbouring Kwara state is being ravaged by bandits who commit all manner of heinous crimes.
To make matter worse a particular media outlet in Ogbomoso was vehement about its reporting, bellying a suspicious villainous intention.
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This unbridled overzealousness in spreading the unverified news ignited deep suspicion among Ogbomoso people that the proponents must have been promoted by a sinister motive – which is to create fear for tourists intending to attend the second edition of the Ogbomoso Cradles Carnival slated for December 18 to 22. This is probable, looking at the vehemence and intensity associated with circulating the report thereby giving a narrative of insecurity in the city.
Ogbomoso Cradles Carnival
Ogbomoso Cradles Carnival is fast metamorphosing into a big cultural festival driven by a passion and vision to transform the city into a hub of tourism and boost its economic growth and development. The first edition was described as a huge success and the upcoming edition by all indications will be bigger and more exciting. Many indigenes and non-indigenes in the diaspora are buoyed with enthusiasm to attend, and also, the Oyo state government has listed it in its month-long Oyo December vibing. The event is certainly a catalyst for economic development. It is an unambiguous roadmap for ushering Ogbomosoland into the path of prosperity under the ambitious 25 year-development plan of Oba Ghandi Olaoye.
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But it’s suspected some people allegedly opposed to the monarch of the town, the Soun, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III, are abhorrent to its success. They are fiercely bitter against any public show that will make Oba Olaoye steal the spotlight and make him take plaudits. Naturally, success and fame nauseate opponents. Thus, promoting the narrative of an unsafe community, they calculate, will de-escalate the rising popularity of the carnival, de-market it and cut attendance.
In the build-up to the first edition the narrative aggressively pushed was that of idol-worshiping, that the carnival was all about promoting idolatry, pointing at displays of Egunguns and others. This briefly gained traction, however, the massive crowd and tourists at the event underscored the campaign of calumny woefully fell through. In addition, there are those who perpetually dismiss it as a misplacement of priority; this is a naive thinking, because tourism is a booming sector world over, in fact, it serves as mainstay of the economy of some countries. The traducers here are thus only overwhelmed in bitterness by the wide embracement of the Soun by his subjects, and therefore consumed by jealousy and envy.
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An arranged kidnapping?
In the meantime, the celebrated kidnapping incident (of Adebayo Fagbohun) is now being unraveled through another prism. According to police sources the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of ₦7m but after “negotiations” with the family, a sum of ₦1m was eventually agreed. “The amount was raised through contributions by his family, church and work colleagues,” a member of his church told ogbomosoinsightonline.com.
After the reported payment of the ransom, the “victim” showed up in the axis he was “kidnapped.” The police subsequently picked him up but upon investigations, the ransom money was said to have been traced to a bank account of the “victim.” That provoked suspicion and so he was invited by the police for interrogation. He is currently in custody at the police CID department in Ibadan, Ogbomoso Insight was informed. “That is the line being pursued – whether it an arranged or fake kidnapping.”
The reporter who put the unverified news up was also invited by the police.
Vile behaviour
Can people be so vile as to seize on an adverse situation (or perhaps schemed together) to sabotage a whole community? The development of Ogbomoso zone is top priority but out of pettiness a bloc is unpretentious in its drive to undermine it. God forbids they succeed, such people would turn around in the future after the current episode might have passed to lament lack of development in the city, forgetting their own villainous and devious actions of the past. Such people abound – we also have it on good authority that some highly placed individuals, with “blue blood,” from the zone have vowed they would thwart Ogbomoso’s dream of becoming a state capital lest Soun further gains in rank and status! God will mitigate their influence.
It’s real, saboteurs, unrepentantly and intransigently, walk this space, but eventually what will be will be. Ogbomoso of our dream will be realised shortly.
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“Your city is about to experience something new, doors are about to open, people will travel from Ibadan to come and get jobs in Ogbomoso,” so prophetically declared a Man of God, Pastor P.K. Olawale, who preached at a revival in the town last week.
The facilitator of the crusade Pastor Kolade Adepoju of Christ Mission Aid Network (CMAN) also affirmed, “Ogbomoso will never remain the same, the economy of Ogbomoso will not remain the same, there will be economic growth.
“One of the things that will start happening in this town is that there will be an eruption, people will start coming from UK, from America, to come and start doing things here, companies will rise and employ thousands of people.”
That is the prophecy and it is claimed!
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