A monarch in one of the riverine communities in Ilaje Local Council Area of Ondo State, Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Oladimeji Odidiomo, was attacked on Monday by a chief in one of the communities during the flag-off of the Igbokoda-Okitipupa road dualization.
With the identity of the chief yet to be ascertained as of press time, the development had created tension in the coastal community, with residents describing it as taboo.
Following the development, the women protested half-naked on Tuesday in the community, with traditionalists embarking on rites in their disapproval of the action taken against their monarch.
The protesters fumed that the purported chief has bastardised Yoruba culture, with the traditionalists saying the community leader has committed a sacrilege and must appease the gods of the land.
According to sources, trouble began when Oba Odidiomo, a legal practitioner who was the chief host, arrived at the occasion and urged the community leader to vacate the front row seat for traditional rulers, but the man refused.
The situation later led to a shouting match and confrontation, after which it degenerated into a fisticuff between the duo, with the monarch sustaining an injury during the scuffle and his left ear bitten in the process.
One of the sources stated that the man bit the monarch’s ear during the fight and it took the intervention of other monarchs and community leaders to stop the fight. He was immediately rushed to a hospital.
With attempts to reach the monarch unsuccessful, one of his aides, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that the community leader who beat the monarch was banking on his relationship with a top government official.
He explained that the monarch, as the chief host, was polite enough towards the community leader, who refused to leave the seat just to embarrass the monarch.
According to him, “the monarch only asked him to vacate the front row and not to block traditional rulers’ view, but the man was irked by the development and started insulting the monarch.
“The man pounced on Oba Afolabi, removed his crown and the beads, and while they were struggling, he bit the ear of the monarch and he was rushed to hospital with blood all over his body.
“The who’s who in the state have been calling Oba Odidiomo Afolabi to beg him and appeal to him to forgive the man. Politicians, traditional rulers, and government officials have been bombarding Oba Afolabi with calls.”