February 09, (THEWILL) – The viral video showing the now suspended traditional ruler of Orile Ifo in Ogun State, Abdulsemiu Ogunjobi, assaulting a 73-year-old man, Areola Abraham, speaks to overwhelming impunity at all levels of authority in the country today.
The conduct of the traditional ruler was not only demeaning to royalty, but also calls into question the process of his elevation to the throne.
Apart from raining abuses on his victim who was seen kneeling and prostrating, the ruler’s choice of words reflects his character and indeed, taints the very institution of traditional rulership which he represents.
The following words are not only a betrayal of the confidence and respect his subjects have for him, but also mud splashed recklessly on traditional institutions in the state: “You’re a traitor who won’t enjoy the fruits of your labour. You’ll lose your family and evil will befall you. I dare anyone who thinks they can defend you to come out publicly and say it to my face. Go ahead and report me to the police if you dare. If you die, you’ll be buried and no one will even ask about you…. I’ll put you in jail and I have the power to control the police.”
After his victim pleaded and prostrated before him, Oba Ogunjobi should have restrained himself, particularly when the action took place in public glare where the proceeding was likely to be recorded as it was, indeed, done in the viral video. If anything, a traditional ruler should be aware of the duties they are saddled with as guardian of the people’s myths and tradition. Unfortunately, this Oba was too carried away by his vanity to care.
While we applaud the state government for rising to the occasion and immediately clamping a six-month suspension order on the errant ruler, the police for arraigning him for assault, particularly for using his erstwhile police membership to intimidate his hapless victim, we call on the traditional council in the state to condemn his action.
Besides, the action taken by the state government as announced by Ganiu Hamzat, Ogun commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, who said Ogunjobi’s conduct was unbecoming of a traditional ruler and so, “he has been stripped of the paraphernalia of the stool of Olorile of Orile-Ifo pending the determination of his culpability or otherwise in the matter, Ogunjonbi’s colleagues should ostracised him from their midst.
We welcome the determination of the Police Command in Ogun state to launch a separate investigation, given the gravity of the incident, involving human rights violation.
According to Police Public Relations Officer, Police Command Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, CSP Omolola Odutola, the Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Ogunlowo, has ordered a thorough and discreet investigation into the matter, and further gave the assurance to adhere to the rule of law and fundamental human rights principles in the instant case.
On this same level of human rights violation, we understand that human right lawyer, Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has offered to take over the case of the victim, Areola Abraham. Falana has offered to press charges against the suspended monarch for the breach of fundamental human rights.
In the meantime, the suspended Oba Ogunjobi has been remanded in a correctional centre at Ilaro, Ogun State after failing to perfect his bail condition as granted by the Ifo Magistrate Court.
Even when he does perfect his bail, he should be made to go through the whole legal process involving this incident. Traditional rulers are custodians of the peoples’ customs. And their closest heroes or heroines. Anyone of them that disregards this onerous task and becomes a bully must be restrained through remedial sanctions.
