Members of the Yewa Traditional Council has urged the Nigeria Police and the Ogun State Government to bring to book those who assassinated the Olowo of Owo-Yewa, Oba Patrick Fasinu.
Nigerian Tribune recalled that the monarch while returning from the meeting of the Council held last month was murdered on July 26 and his remains set ablaze by the unknown assailants.
Addressing newsmen on Wednesday, the Olu of Ilaro and paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, shortly after the meeting of the Council at Ilaro, described the killing of the monarch as callous, degrading, inhuman and gruesome.
The monarch told reporters that the deceased monarch said the closing prayer at the last Council meeting.
Olugbenle represented by Olu of Imasayi, Oba Gbadebo Oni, said the monarch’s killers must be made to face the wrath of the law so as to serve as deterrent to other agents of darkness.
According to him, the development is a silent war against the institution of the traditional rulers in the country which must not be condoned by the law enforcement agencies and the government.
He, however, expressed the council’s preparedness to assist the police in its investigation into the murder.
Olugbenle said, “We are aware of the arrest of three suspects in connection with the case already in the police custody. We hereby call on the Nigeria Police and the Ogun State Government to please ensure that those behind this inhuman and degrading act are brought to face the wrath of the law. This will serve as deterrent to other agents of evil in future.
“The action is an abhorrence to the custom and tradition of Yorubaland and humanity. Such evil should not be allowed to go the way of similar cases across the country. This is a silent war against the institution of the traditional rulers in the country which must not be condoned by the law enforcement agencies and the government.”
Traditional rulers, however, paid glowing tributes to Fasinu, who was described as kind-hearted, lovable, friendly, peaceful, well-connected, active and asset to the council.
Five monarchs who spoke on behalf of their colleagues from five Local Government Areas in Yewaland, called on the state government to provide adequate security for traditional rulers in the state to forestall similar attacks.
In his remarks, Oba Isaac Adesiyan, who is Olu of Ifonyintedo-Yewa, said traditional rulers now live in fear and asked security agencies and government to curtail killing of monarchs.
“We want to appeal to the state government to go into the root of the incidence to prevent recurrence. Every Oba, I guess, has been living in fears because we do not know who is next. We don’t pray for more of such incident, but it is God who cares and looks after all of us,” Adesiyan said.
On his part, Eselu of Iselu, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi who expressed regret over attacks on Yewa monarchs, recalled that a traditional ruler was killed in 2011 along Igbogila axis without assailants being brought to justice.