Soun postpones Oriire townhall meeting as thugs attack advance team with stones, guns in Ikoyi, Oriire Obas pay solidarity visit

Image caption: Soun with Obas and Baales from Oriire LG after the solidarity visit

Soun postpones Oriire townhall meeting as thugs attack advance team with stones, guns in Ikoyi, Oriire Obas pay solidarity visit

Yinka ADETUNJI

The townhall meeting scheduled by the Soun of Ogbomosoland His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III, to hold in Oriire local government at the council headquarters, Ikoyi-Ile, today, Tuesday, has been postponed due to opposition by some people of the town who fiercely attacked the advance team dispatched by the Oba.

According to information reaching ogbomosoinsightonline.com, the advance team as they made their way into the ancient town met the belligerent burning tyres on the streets and chanting war songs.

“Immediately they sighted us they started throwing stones and shooting at us,” a source in the Soun’s advance team told Ogbomoso Insight. “We were with local security agents but we asked them not to return fire. In the process, one of them was shot in the head and is now receiving treatment at a hospital. They also damaged some of our vehicles including a bus that conveyed people and the truck going there with rented chairs. It was a serious situation. But we remained unprovoked.”

Another witness who begged for anonymity added that they learnt the attackers were members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) and other thugs hired from Oke-Ogun area and from Lagos.

Following the public disturbance, the meeting was postponed by Oba Olaoye till another date. “It is better we shelve the townhall meeting till another day for peace to be maintained. It is not out of fear, but for peace,” the Soun stated.

The monarch argued their mission was not to exercise a domineering aura but to discuss about the development of Ikoyi and Oriire local government in general.

“What is our mission there? Is it to pronounce superiority? No, it is to discuss progress and development? Though Obas and Baales from the local government area have come here to pay solidarity visit insisting we proceed to hold the meeting but we said no. Nothing is greater than peace reigning. We are not for disruption of peace.”

Also, Onipaamo of Elerepamo High Chief Ayobami Ezekiel Ogunmakinde, corroborating the Soun said what happened in Ikoyi was unexpected having earlier sought the permission of the council boss, Hon Michael Olateju. He noted that the meeting was not actually to be held in Ikoyi-Ile but on the premises of the local government secretariat.

Onipamo of Elerepamo High Chief Ayobami Ezekiel Ogunmakinde

Admitting some people in Ikoyi earlier opposed the meeting that they did not have a reigning Oba, and that is why we shifted the venue to the council secretariat.

Onipamo praised the Soun for what he termed his peaceful disposition. “If Kabiyesi decided to go ahead to hold the meeting, it would have been held but he is a peaceful person. He said he is king over people and not trees and wouldn’t want loss of lives.”

On the way forward, he disclosed they would appeal to the “angry people if we know them.” He added that “Kabiyesi is not a politician but an Oba and is coming to see how he can facilitate development in Oriire local government. Why should we be angry because a whole Oba is seeking to facilitate development in our local government? It doesn’t add up! It is not as if he wants to contest election.”

But he assured the townhall meeting in Oriire would still hold, and soon.

In the meantime, Ogbomoso Insight learnt that the Oriire local government authority in a letter Monday, urged the Soun not to hold the meeting again, citing “security concerns.” The council authority acknowledged the intention of the monarch stating it holds the Oba in high regards on account of his developmental strides encapsulated in his 25 year-development plan agenda but that the situation was not auspicious judging by the opposition in Ikoyi-Ile.

So, this was top of the consideration in the Palace even as it was relayed that the advance team was probably out for that.