A human rights organization in Nigeria, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) has strongly condemned the series of unfortunate attacks on a citizen of Osun State, Chief Olayiwola Olufolahan Olagunju over the traditional title in Oyan, Odo-Otin Local Government area of Osun State.
At least five persons were reportedly injured after an unidentified mobs struck his country home in Oyan community in Odo Otin local government area of Osun State, South-west Nigeria, set his two houses ablaze following a chieftaincy tussle on Tuesday, September 28, 2021.
According to the report available, the incident created an uproar in the Oke- Odo area of the community, as the irate mob stripped and molested the wife and children of Olagunju when they could not find him to kill.
Also, livestock and properties worth millions of naira owned by the Chief Olagunju were reportedly destroyed and the Nigeria Police in the state however confirmed that only three people were injured during the unfortunate attack incident.
Chief Olayiwola Olagunju became a victim of another attack recently where his car was waylaid and he escaped by sheer luck and was threatened with repeated attacks anywhere he was in Nigeria.
CHRSJ on Monday, while reacting to the alleged plan of certain people who vowed to make deadly attacks on innocent citizens again berated the criminal-minded opponents who were perceived to be behind the attack as unscrupulous and callous for such a coward act because of an inherited traditional title.
It was alleged further that some unknown assailants had been trailing Olagunju for the past six(6) months now because he refused to bow to their threat and continued to vie for the stool after the contest for the inherited traditional Chieftaincy titles had commenced.
It could be recalled that for over four years, the Eesa Chieftaincy titles office has been vacant and many people including Olagunju Olayiwola Olufolahan have shown interest in filling the post as the number two(2) in rank to the paramount ruler of Oyan, the Oloyan of Oyan.
The referred titles of Eesa, which is the head of the kingmakers in the community and also the regent of the ancient town in the absence of Oloyan of Oyan in Odo-Otin Local Government area of Osun State.
Speaking on the development, the human rights body’s Assistant General Secretary (AGS), Pastor Michael Agassi, called on the international community and Nigeria Government not to allow the unknown assailants to achieve their aims and objectives on Olagunju who have contributed immensely to the development of humanity and seeing to the welfare of the community at large.
Comrade Agassi also advised Chief Olagunju Olayiwola to seek refuge elsewhere as the Nigerian security agents could not guarantee his safety anymore, stating that he who runs from a fight, lives to fight another day.
