Owo residents urge IGP to restore peace in community

 Owo Community in Yewa South Local Government area of Ogun State has not known peace since the murder of its traditional ruler, Olowo of Owo, Oba Patrick Niran Fasinu.

Fasinu was killed on July 26, leading to residents calling on both the state Governor Ibikunle Amosun and Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Kpotun Idris for their immediate interventions.

Fasinu was murdered in cold blood by yet to be apprehended gunmen. Until his death, he was the Olowo of Owo.

Since the murder of Fasinu, there had been tension and confrontations, leading to arrests and detentions. In fact, sources said that there is palpable tension in the community.

One of the men struggling to take possession of the throne has been simply identified as Mathew. Community members are urging IGP and the state government to do something about the mounting tension.

A source said: “Our investigation showed that Mathew and others are interested in the throne. But members of the community claimed that he is not qualified because he belonged to the same ruling house with the murdered Fasniu. They said the kingship is rotational among three ruling houses. Mathew, however, insisted that his brother’s tenure had not elapsed, while others argued that there’s nothing like tenure in their Ilaro High declaration of April 10, 2004. They said that once a king passes on, his tenure expires.” 

In a petition signed by the spokesman of Owo Community, Alhaji Mutui Wahaab, he noted that Mathew is a relative of the murdered Fasinu.

Wahaab said that Mathew added a dramatic twist to the agreed rotational declaration of selecting royal fathers of Owo entered into by kingmakers and royal family on the April 10, 2004.

According to the rotational agreement of selecting new Olowo of Owo, the three ruling houses took a decision at a High Court in Ilaro division to rotate the title among the families.

Wahaab said: “We don't know what Mathew meant that the tenure of the murdered monarch was not completed as at the time he was killed. We asked him what he meant by tenure and up till now; he has not given us any convincing answer. As far as we are concerned, we have no tenure, if he has, let him go to court.”

Attempt to locate Mathew in order to hear his side of the story failed to yield fruits as he was said to be shuttling between Abeokuta and Owo.