I did not punch Agbowu of Ogbaagba – Oluwo of Iwo

Abdulrasheed Akanbi, Oluwo of Iwo, has said that he did not punch Agbowu of Ogbaagba during a peace meeting with other monarchs.

He went on to say that he was fighting corruption in a traditional he alleged that the monarchs. were selling lands that were not theirs.

Oba Akanbi was reported to have attacked Dhikrulahi Akinropo, Agbowu of Ogbagba, over a disagreement during a meeting convened by the assistant inspector-general of Police (AIG), Zone 11, to resolve a prolonged land dispute among the monarchs in the Osun west senatorial district.

But the Oluwo speaking in Osogbo on Tuesday said: I did not touch Agbowu of Ogbaagba, although he was aggressive and we almost had altercation but I did not punch him.”

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Oba Akanbi said what transpired between him and the Ogbaagba monarch was a fallout of a courageous move on his part to put a stop to economic oppression against the downtrodden by kings in his domain.

He said: “I did not punch Agbowu of Ogbaagba, although there was altercation that almost resulted to exchange of blows, but that didn’t happen at all.

“I brought him and other Obas to the police to talk to them on the need to stop selling land that did not belong to them.

“I am fighting corruption in a traditional way.

“They are selling a hectares of land at the rate of N60,000, which I’m kicking against.

“I did not touch Agbowu of Ogbaagba, although he was aggressive and we almost had altercation but I did not punch him,” the Iwo monarch said.

The Iwo monarch added he was a peace loving personality.

“If I am that boxing king you people are calling me, I should have done that in Iwo and not in Osogbo.

“I personally initiated the peace meeting in which I involved the AIG when those kings refused to desist from land grabbing despite my several warnings and advice,” Oba Akanbi said.

It would be recalled that Akanbi was alleged to have assaulted Akinropo during a peace meeting at the office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 11, Bashir Makama, in Osogbo on Friday.

The state government, however, condemned the incident, describing it as unfortunate and avoidable.

The government in a statement by Mrs Funke Egbemode, the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, said a situation where monarchs engaged in public display of temperament did not edify the revered stools of “our forebears.”(NAN)

The Oluwo of Iwo, had initially said in a statement after the incident: “At the peace meeting held at AIG office, Agbowu of Ogbaagbaa interrupted me while I was making my speech; he started calling me unprintable names, pointing his staff of office at me while attempting to stick the staff in my eyes; I heavily rejected it with a force which the Agbowu could not withstand,” he said.

“How could a constable openly insult commissioner of police and make an attempt to beat the CP? Can any monarch try such with Ooni, Alaafin?

“He went far as attempting to turn Oluwo to a blind man by pointing his staff of office to my eyes. All affected monarchs in my kingdom should note no one will feed on his subjects land and go away with it.”

But some traditional rulers in the state have blamed Akanbi for the action, demanding his suspension.

Speaking with reporters at the hospital, Habeeb Adetoyese, olu of Ileogbo, flanked by six other monarchs, said the oluwo descended on their colleague while making a presentation at the meeting.

“In October last year he wrote a petition against us to AIG Oyebade, that, we are threatening his life and we are selling his land. The AIG said he doesn’t want any issue in our regions, that we should solve it amicably. The governor also gave us the same advice when we saw him on the matter,” Adetoyese said.

“The first peacemaking meeting that was organised for us at Iwo local government secretariat, but Oluwo disrupted the meeting. He came with thugs saying everybody should go to his domain.

“A letter was sent to us for the invite and we all went for the program…when he (Oluwo) was talking, he alleged that, I, the monarch of Ile-Ogbo, was selling his lands and that, also, the Agbowo of Ogbaa Gbaa, the Onigege of Gege is also selling his land. I am selling only selling Ile Ogbo’s land and not Iwo land.

“In the meeting held, the commissioner said he can’t intervene on any issue pertaining to land. He advised that the court can decide on that or that we meet the governor to sort things out.

“As the AIG was addressing us, the Oluwo started shouting that chaos and war will happen in the community. He stood up and started beating Agbowu. He beat him to the extent that it was the AIG that rescued the king from oluwo. We are still in shock for a king to behave in that manner. When the man started feeling dizzy, we had to rush him down to Asubiaro hospital. He sustained an injury on his cheeks.

“We implore the government to suspend him (Oluwo) so that we can have peace in our domain. We have called our subjects that there is no cause for violence but he should be checked. Only the governor can caution him and if that is not done, he will destroy the entire region.”