A 73-year-old man, Chief Abraham Areola, has accused the Olorile of Orile Ifo in Ogun State, Oba Semiu Ogunjobi, of assaulting him in public over an alleged chieftaincy dispute, calling on Nigerians and relevant authorities for protection.
A viral video captured the moment an elderly man was repeatedly slapped, humiliated, and forced to kneel on the street. The victim alleged that the monarch personally threatened to kill him.
Although Oba Ogunjobi denied involvement, community sources and Emmanuel Ojo, the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Dapo Abiodun, confirmed that the monarch was responsible for the incident.
In the disturbing footage, one of the monarch’s aides was seen removing the elderly man’s cap as he knelt in distress, while another struck him from behind. Despite pleading for mercy, the voice of an individual, alleged to be the monarch, was heard saying, “Die if you want to die. We will bury you, and nobody will know.”
The victim, in tears, responded, “I didn’t offend you, Kabiesi. I’ve done nothing wrong. I am not interested in any chieftaincy title. I will come to see you, Kabiesi,” but the verbal assault reportedly continued, with the unseen individual declaring, “The entire Ifo land belongs to me. I will send you to prison. I own the entire Nigeria Police Force.”
Reacting to the incident, Ojo condemned the act, saying, “I came across a disturbing video online showing Chief Areola Abraham being subjected to public humiliation and physical assault. He was seen kneeling on the road while being slapped and verbally abused by someone identified as Oba Semiu Olawale Ogunjobi, the Olorile of Orile Ifo. This incident reportedly stemmed from a kingship supremacy dispute.”
He further noted, “Such an act is highly condemnable and completely unjustifiable, regardless of the underlying issues. There are more dignified and lawful ways to address disputes, especially among traditional leaders. Resorting to force, assault, and public humiliation is unacceptable and must be strongly denounced.”
Speaking with journalists, the victim recounted his ordeal, stating, “I was the one being harassed in the video. The Oba of Olorile of Orile-Ifo is the one who assaulted me. It happened on January 21, 2025, around 11:00 AM. I wasn’t feeling well, so I went out to get some food when he saw me. He called me over, and that’s when the beating started.”
He further lamented, “I didn’t offend him in any way. If you watch the video, you’ll hear me begging him to tell me what my offence was. I told him that if I had wronged him, he should have called for me. I still don’t know what my offence is.”
Asked what steps he had taken after the incident, Areola said, “I couldn’t do anything since he claimed to own the Nigeria Police Force and dared me to go to any authority I know. What could I do? I want Nigerians to come to my aid. He has vowed to kill me.”
However, when contacted, Oba Ogunjobi denied involvement, saying, “I’m not familiar with the video you’re referring to. I’ve been receiving numerous calls for the past three weeks regarding it. They’ve also submitted petitions to various authorities, including Alagbon, the Zone 2 Command, and the state governor. A newspaper has published a statement confirming that I am not the person in the video.”
