Owu Obaship tussle: Akogun alleges attempt on his life
By Segun Adeleye,
Reporter, Abeokuta
The theatrics
surrounding the Obaship tussle in Owu, Abeokuta, the homestead of President
Olusegun Obasanjo is assuming a dangerous dimension as the Akogun of Owu and
spokesperson of the kingmakers, Chief Rufus Onifade, alleged that an attempt
was made to assassinate him on Sunday.
Onifade is the leader of the kingmakers
accusing Obasanjo of attempting to impose Prince Sanya Dosunmu as the new
Olowu after the death of the last
monarch, Oba Adisa Olawale Odeleye.
Addressing
journalists in Abeokuta on Tuesday, Onifade said: “ On Sunday at about
9.30 a.m. I went to Ijeja to buy some things but while I was coming back and
was about turning to Ogbe, I just saw three people on Okada who crossed my
vehicle. Two of them came down immediately leaving the remaining one person on
the Okada and were approaching me.
“As soon as I saw them I tried to
manoeuvre to escape, but my engine stalled. They now came to said, ‘Chief
what is wrong?’ And I said nothing. One now said, ‘Chief be
careful, we want you to be very careful and continue to do what you have been
doing otherwise we should have done what we have been asked to do.’ He
then brought out a gun to show me.”
Onifade said he had reported the
incident to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Sarafa Isola and
the Deputy Governor, Alhaja Salmot Badru, in the absence of the Governor,
Otunba Gbenga Daniel.
Checks by Daily
Independent at the State Police Command revealed that the Akogun has not
reported the incident to the Police.
“This is news. I am hearing this
now. The only thing I know about the crisis there is that we intensified our
investigations into the vandalisation of the family house of the Otun Owu,
Alhaji M. Ola Yusuf by taking the prime suspect, Akogun Owu, Chief Onifade to
Sagamu where he claimed he was attending a party during the crisis,” a
senior police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity told Daily
Independent.
Sources at the State Security Service
(SSS) however revealed that Onifade reported the case to the security outfit,
which promised to investigate the allegation.
