Author: Taiwo Abiodun

St. Francis Catholic Church

THEY woke up  on that Sunday morning bubbling with life. Yes, they woke up hale and hearty .They  took their bath , wore their best clothes  to celebrate and to  do thanksgiving . ‘Armed’   with their rosaries dangling in their hands  and  necks  as  they  clutched   their Holy Bibles under their armpits  then  headed  for  church to serve God. While in Church  the Choristers  joyfully sang to high heavens , praised the Lord  and  danced like skilled dancers rejoicing  and praising God .In fact they   mashed Satan on the ground  and they sang  “mash am , mash am “.  They  te èsù pa and shouted Hallelujah as they  danced  to the tune of Organ. The Priest performed his Priestly  rituals  while the congregation  prayed, poured their  troubled minds  and deposited their problems  to   Holy Mary   mother of Jesus whose ‘picture’ was on the wall of the altar    to solve  .Yes , they looked forward to seeing another week and waiting for their prayers to be answered  and manifested  the following week  in order to come back to give  testimonies the following Sunday.

TRAGEDY STRUCK

As the the church service was coming to an end the  unexpected happened . Tragedy struck.  Within a twinkle of  an eye catastrophy   reared its ugly head. The  congregants’  joy was cut short .  It was an unhappy ending as some  criminals entered  the church and punctured their happiness . Sadness took over as the church  received some visitants : the Devil they prayed against  appeared from nowhere. The  Devil  they avoided and cursed  appeared in Church. Yes!, the  Satan they mashed and crushed suddenly rose  as  he manifested himself through his Satanic  messengers . The Devil came to kill, maim, steal and destroy . And they came , killed, maimed, stole and destroyed.

  Ha! Oloun Oba o! the unsuspected  congregants  met  one -on -one  armed -to-the -teeth    daredevil armed  men. They were face -to -face -with  the men of the underworld  holding AK 47  (Kalashnikov automatic   rifles). They  saw   the  blood –  thirsty and  fierce- looking bloodshot eyes of  these wicked  men   . Haaa  ki l’eleyi?.  Igbe a n’fe ewé! Guns ke , in the church!. Wàhálà de! . Òràn ńlá!. Oghàn mó gbé! Mo wèsún òràn. Òrò  di bi o ko lo y’àgò  fun mi. Oloun Oba o, eni orí kó yo o d’ile. The sound of their guns  gbàù, kà-kà-kà-kàà   rent the air and  made some to climb the fence , some hid  under the pulpit , some under the Pews , some ran into Sacristy while  some laid flat  as the  assassins  emptied bullets on them .They  opened fire and sprayed  their bullets mercilessly  on them .God have mercy .They  shelled heavily . Then a loud sound was heard, it was  a dynamite  . It was an explosive . It was  bomb!. Bómbù kè in the House of God?.  The church building vibrated and shook to its foundation. All the materials on the table  came down crashing , human  brains  spilled on the altar. Human flesh littered the ground like leaves. Blood splattered on the walls as they stained the pictures  of  Holy Mary on the altar. Ha! it was a Black Sunday . Yes, ojó burúkú  èsù  gb’omi mu. The old ones who could not run with their feeble legs were not as lucky. Innocent children were caught in the  melee  as they were soaked in their own pool of blood. Ha , nwon o nii jèrè. Ik ú òjijì  will kill these wicked people.

While some mothers  abandoned their children and ran for their dear lives  having the Yoruba saying in mind that  bi iná jo ni jo omo eni t’ara eni laa ko gbòn, O di bii o kò lo y’àgò  fun mi .While some too died alongside  with their children. Husband and wife were forcefully ‘joined’ together in death as they were shot dead!. It was like a movie but real.

The assailants opened fire and   shot the  innocent congregants  .Limbs were separated from the bodies. Some had their bones shattered . Body parts scattered on the floor .Blood was everywhere .  It was  ikú gbígbóná as innocent souls were sent to the grave  . Many of them were identified by their clothes and shoes they wore. It reminds  one the Hotel Rwanda Movie – a 2004 drama film directed by Terry George .  Haaa ! O ma se o. Ìkà l’ènìyàn, ènìyàn  ni ìkà.

This toddler came from America to visit her grandparents, was among the victims

Some minutes later ( after the monsters had left) the church was besieged by sympathizers  as tears flowed freely while many   lay dead  and some were  writhing in pain, dying .The assailants left behind  sorrow ,tears and  blood courtesy of Fela Anikulapo -Kuti.  The Federal Medical Centre, St Louis Catholic Hospital  had  their mortuaries filled  with  dead bodies. Over 40 were killed. The  victims had their blood -soaked  clothes and shoes returned home  by sympathizers who  identified them  telling the family members of the victims  that the owners of these properties are no more. Tears flowed freely, the shouts of õróóó òòò  rent the air. In the victims’ homes crying and anguish filled the air. Many were rolling on the floor while the bold ones were gnashing their teeth. Wailing took over. Wàláítàlaì the old held their heads  biting  their lower lips as if regretting going to church that day. It was a Black Sunday.

OWO BECAME ‘MECCA’ OF SORTS

The ancient town where Action Group (AG) was formed in 1951 which made it popular politically  became  the sacrificial lamb for the ISWAP who owned up to the killings . Who could have done it?.  Questions remained unanswered while others guess as well as theories upon theories emerged. This dastardly act shook not only  Òwò but Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole. Unexpectedly , the ancient town became a Mecca of sorts for genuine and fake sympathizers  for some politicians  came for political reasons . Politicians came to show sympathy while the CNN and other foreign media reported the ugly incident that occurred at St. Francis Catholic Church , Òwálúwà Street , Òwò, Ondo State. The whole world was taken by surprise. Òwò for that matter? .Òwò  the land of Honour was dishonoured   by the intruders  that day as the assailants spilled innocent blood. Òwò of all towns? ÒGHÒ!.OGHÒ!!.

SUSPECTS CAUGHT?

On the third day women and children came out not only to protest but to lay  curse  and invoke the spirit of Òronshèn (a goddess in Òwò) on those who performed the heinous act. Few  days later  the whole town  trooped to the palace Of Olówò  of Òwò, Oba Ajíbádé Ògúnoyè  III  to  have a glimpse of  those  were allegedly  caught  whom they suspected to have  performed  the  wicked act. Rumour went round  from Òwò to America, Canada , France that the assailants had been arrested. Na lie, no bi dem jare .Those arrested were later discovered to be Hausas selling Indian Hemp in the farm. Again , the whole town and the world were told that  the search for the assailants continued. When will we apprehend these criminals?

Elerewe’s killers yet to be prosecuted

PAST EPISODES: OPC, FADARE, ELEREWE

Although this ugly incident is not new. What is new is that  it happened in a  Church  . About 21 years ago dozens of  people were killed in Owo  during the  OPC members’ clash . About 22 years ago Engineer Fadare Amúlélé was brutally killed alongside his wife and his house was burnt down .In fact petrol was poured into the toilet where he and his wife ran into to hide and the couple were     gruesomely burnt alive!.  Six  years ago some robbers invaded the ancient  town and unleashed terror on the indigenes as they  killed many  including one Mr. Ogundipe Adene who was in his late 70s. He relocated from America to Ipènmèn after   spending 29years in the United Sate of America  .The report said that some were caught but that was all we heard about it till date.

Exactly six months ago High Chief  Elérèwè of Owo Kingdom Túndé Ìlòrí was brutally murdered in Owo  .According to reports some suspects were arrested but released and up till the moment of filing this report nothing was done.

About one month ago news went round that a foreigner was kidnapped after killing a soldier who was guarding the Engineer working on  road construction in Owo. The soldier was shot in  the head and the video went viral .Up till the moment of reporting this story  nobody  has been arrested.

Couple killed

LIES AND LIES ABOUT OWO BY PRESENTERS

Since the ugly incident the social media   has been  awashed  with all kinds of ugly and unbelievable stories that  some disgruntled people were after the Olowo Of Owo’s life . The video has been going round . Not only this some Bloggers seized  the opportunity to  have verbal  diarrhea  talking jargons . Let me remind you all that we don’t toy with our traditional ruler, the Olowo of wo. We respect our King and therefore those self -aclaimed sympathizers or Sòròsòrò ( Presenters) should be mindful of their words if not we would sue them to Court and would ask Òronshèn to deal with them. One of them was talking about the money donated to the Church and to the family members of the victims, please Bloggers be warned  and know  that Owo is  a land of Honour !.

WHERE ARE THE SPIRITUALISTS?

According to history Òwò  has never been conquered in war and no one has ever invaded Òwò .So what is happening? .Where are the Babalawos and the gods  in Òwò? Where are the powerful  men in Òwò?. Is Owo no longer the Ogho  we know?. I doubt if we will get these assailants , infact I doubt 1,00000 times for if the killers  of Elerewe cannot be fished out  , and when the suspects were arrested it  was turned  to  awúrúju , it was done in  màgòmágó  way and they were released. It is almost going  the way of Dele Giwa’s case when we all knew the killers of Dele Giwa yet none of them was brought to book. Please when are we going to  arrest , re arrest killers of Elerewe ? .When are we going to get the killers of worshippers of St. Francis Catholic Church?

And the questions remains unanswered ” Who Killed Chief Elerewe of Owo Kingdom?. Who killed the Congregants at St. Francis Church?. Who killed Fadare  Amulele? . If we cannot unravel the killers of Elerewe ,then I doubt if we can get those who came from outside to unleash terror on St. Francis Church members!.

WE SHOULD ALL BE ARMED

We need gun. We need amulets .We need ōgùn abenugongo . We  need Àse .We need both  physical and spiritual intervention. Imagine these assailants had the effrontery to  come to the centre of the town very close to Olowo of Owo’s palace to unleash terror for 30minutews according to reports and nothing happened .Nobody challenged them .Kai! O ma se o. Everybody was indoor to save their heads. Ah! it is unheard of .Ki lode? and when they left everybody now came out crying and rolling on the floor. According to some reports they contacted the police who in turn complained of not having vehicles to use. But wait where are the brave ones in Owo?. If they could shoot and  unleashed terror for 30minutes uninterrupted then they would do worse in the nearby villages uninterrupted as they are now doing in Benue and other Northern areas where they would invade and killed for hours uninterrupted.

It was these victims today and who knows the next victims  ? . It could be me and it could be you!. It could be a member of my family and as well could be yours!.  When the Elerewe of Owo was killed I wrote and wrote not because I enjoy writing but it could happen to ANYBODY. Eni kan lo mo.  He who feels it knows it .

This writer is angry as he asks’ where are our traditionalists?’

WHERE ARE OUR TRADITIONALISTS?

As  the old man was  told that his only child  had his boat capsized and was drowned by a ferocious  whale , he was dumbfounded and did not say a word. The following day he went to the spot   where the boat capsized and sprinkled some powdery substance  there. On the third   day the carcass of the  huge whale  was found by the river bank. When the old man visited the place and saw it ,he was relieved. He said ” this is to save other proposed  victims”. Where is our traditional power  our forefathers bequeath to us? .When the St Francis Church members’  assassins fled they should be made to start dancing or be confused where they were. Where is our power?

Some months ago some dare -devil armed robbers  robbed some banks in Uromi, Edo State .The robbers killed and used explosives on the Banks’ vaults  and the ATM’s machines and carted away millions of naira in Ghana Must Go bags . Immediately the youths heard about the news they barricaded all the roads  leading to the town to avoid the robbers from escaping . The robbers could not pass through the road and therefore  abandoned their loots and fled, according to reports. The video went viral in social media .Now where are our brave youths?.  After killing our people the youths came out fuming  and raging . Hmmmmm, medicine after death , you will say. We could have used our phones to boldly take their pictures. We could have use our Babalawos to make them be dancing to  the sound of the unseen drums and invisible bells . They could have  turned the killers to ants or  turned them to sweepers and be sweeping the Church compound. Where are the Babalawos we honour, fear and respect?

Mark you , these dare devil ones  if care is not taken would start unleashing terror on our villages for they would think if they could succeed  in  the town then they could do this unperturbed anywhere.

What is the role of our Government on security?.But the Government cannot do everything.  Where are our traditionalists /Babalawos? is our iseese no more working?.

I rest my case.

…..Haa! see  the next   five victims to be killed

…..Elerewe fought for his family’s freedom

 ……. His statue to be erected

…..We all keep quiet yet not safe

….Full names of the suspects and their addresses 

I AM  writing this piece in tears. I am writing this piece blowing my nose and wiping tears from my face . I am writing this piece with heavy heart. I looked around and asked myself how I would tell my children in the future the story of   my home town  without mentioning how a first Class Oba , the Olufon of Ifon Oba Israel Adeusi was killed, and  what happened afterwards ? Nothing !. How will I omit the story of how a whole High Chief  Elerewe , Tunde Ilori the Elerewe of Owo Kingdom who was  the  third position to the Olowo of Owo Kingdom  was brutally murdered in cold blood. What happened next?, Nothing,  ko si jare! .How will I narrate the story of the  suspects,  arrests, denial and release and will they believe my story? L’aiye, ko joo , Na lie would be their response. So I will tell my children how it has  become  clownish and called Awada Kerikeri,  O  ma se o. Shior! So nobody could fight like  Timothy Adegoke’s brother ,Gbade who  fought gallantly and leaving no stone unturned to unravel the mystery behind his brother’s death? .

The world is a dangerous place to live  not because of people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it says Albert Einsten. As brilliant  as Owo indigenes are and as popular the  ancient town  that   has produced  sons and daughters in all fields  is ,nobody , no group , I mean no formidable group or individual could come up to fight for his  cause.  Kai it could happen to you, this reader. You are only writing ” Rest in peace, the killers must not go unpunished” etc, is that what we want from you?. It is Elerewe   today we don’t know  whose turn it would be tomorrow. Kai! o ma se o, we all keep quiet trying not to be seen as a whistle blower or   or bad boy or with bad belle.

Listen carefully to the names and addresses of the suspects and the next victims marked down in this video

THEY LET THEM  LOOSE

So these killers did not hear what Abraham Lincoln said ”I would rather be a little nobody than to be an evil somebody”. Now   they have been let loose like angry and hungry  lion ready to devour anybody . If they could kill a first traditional ruler and a High Chief and nothing happened then  the town’s men are like Chicken coop  in their pen, the assailants would just wake up in the morning go to pen and pick one rooster and kill. Kai O ma se o. But let the suspects know that investigation could be five years , seven years even 10 years. Let them not be at ease now for Lie detectors , sophisticated investigative apparatus that would expose  their  deeds of over five years are on the way , its just a sophisticated investigative gadgets similar to the one the Yoruba Novelist  the late  D.O. Fagunwa wrote in  his book  Irinkerindo Ninu Igbo Elegbeje when they got to  the  bridge of  the River of  Blood  (Odo Eje) their tongues started confessing  all their evil deeds yet they cannot control their tongues .

WE ARE IN TROUBLE

We play dangerous politics with our lives . We play politics with the lives of our children . We play politics with everything . We politicized virtually everything  . Everybody is afraid , But why? the reason is that we are afraid to die and you  and  I  will die one day. What are the roles of our traditional rulers ? .What are the roles of the Inner Caucus?  Where are the powerful Babalawos in Owo? . What are the roles of Ogboni in the society?. Why are we afraid?. Three  years ago I visited a tourist centre , Dollar City in Branson, America . Among their tourist  attractions  are coffins of all sizes while many were taking pictures with it. It was fun. An old man  went in and took  photograph, when he came out I  was curious , I ran to him and said in Africa seeing a coffin is an abomination ,he replied  ”this   ”Box” is made of wood . It is the shape that gave it another name. Whoever is afraid of it should not sleep on his bed, should not sit on a chair and should not use any wooden material at all. We are afraid of the ‘Box’  because of our handiwork. Be good to everybody and have a clean heart my son then you will not be afraid of anything ”. As he said this I went to some of the life size coffins and Ronnie , my wife gave me shots.

You will die , I will die , we will all die

ELEREWE  AN HERO, SHOULD BE IMMORTALIZED

Is assassination  of Elerewe the first time ? .No , he would not be the first or the  last . The mistake assailants make is turning their victims to heroes. When the late Elerewe  ascended   his fore father’s  throne he made positive  changes, he was fighting for his family’s property that were  stolen with the  money in the Bank and farmland. What was his offence? Ki lo se? Ki lo de?. The big family house had no toilet facilities but he provided .He had planned to  build a  Museum in the compound , he wanted the stolen farmland retrieved and given back to the family. His heart was clean. Not a single person spoke ill about him. Yes, that is what surprised  the assassins , they thought people would speak ill about him and be justified , No. Capital ”No”.

At Memphis Museum where Martin Luther King’s  items were on display in Lorraine Motel now

History did not tell us that Murtala Mohammed died in his sleep. No, he was brutally murdered in  Lagos   in February 1976  .

The American Baptist Minister and activist Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by James Earl Ray at 6.05pm on Thursday at the Lorraine hotel in Memphis in 1968. When I visited the Motel which had been tuned to museum  in Memphis I   broke down and  wept.  He was 40. But his memory lingers on.

Civil rights leader Malcolm X was shot dead at  the Audubon Ballroom, in Manhattan on February 21,1965. while delivering a speech.  He was 39.He was  immortalized.

President  John Kennedy was assassinated  on November 22,1963 while riding a motorcade in Dallas, he was shot in the neck and head. He was 46.

It was after their death they become more popular and appreciated. Today their names can never be erased from History same thing  with the latest assassination. High Chief Ilori Tunde  the Elerewe of Owo has become an hero , a legend and a god in the History of Owo , infact he has broken a record of the first  High Chief to be murdered in a gruesome manner.  Nobody came across the High Chief  and  regretted  it . He was gifted , he has wisdom, he  was among the best dressed  High Chiefs  , infact he was a super star in dressing no wonder he represented the Olowo of Owo Kingdom many occasions.

STATUE FOR ELEREWE

Did Thomas Fuller not say it all  that  Memory is the treasure  house of the mind wherein the monuments thereof are kept and preserved.

Today, all the  victims of assassination have their statues erected  and have their things  kept in museum . Let Chief Ilori Tunde the Elerewe of Owo Kingdom’s  statue be erected and placed where these assassinators would be seeing it everyday and have their heart bleed and be regretting .Let us build a statue of Elerewe  in his regalia and erect it at the frontage of the Elerewe’s  building.

.

OWO INDIGENES ABROAD CAN’T  COME HOME

Walaitalai I will not encourage  anybody to visit my town now .Call me a bastard, fine. Label  me an anti Owo that is okay . But  who will rescue or fight for  my visitors if  they are kidnapped or  brutally killed in the name of knowing  my  place of birth?. This is Elerewe of Owo Kingdom an Owo indigene killed  before our own  eyes and we are grunting like a pig!.

Yes, Eric Donaldson the  Jamaican reggae artiste in one of his popular albums  Land of My birth, he  sang ” This is the land of my birth , I say this is the land of my birth , I say this is Jamaica , my Jamaica , the land of my birth ….I will never leave her shore , I will never run away ….” To many of Owo  indigenes they will leave their  shore and run away .

ERIC DONALDSON’S MUSIC NOT APPLICABLE TO OWO 

Donaldson  continued ” Mr. Tourist , Mr. Tourist , leave your land  and come …. We will share a lot with you , our people they are true , they will want to be with you , they will love , they will help , they will give , if you wish my friend you can live …..You will  be  a happier  one in the land of the rising sun….Can you sing this type of song and be proud of your  Owo our native town? Our people are not true  , they don’t want to be with you , they will not love you, they will not help you , they will not give , and you will never be happier  in the land of  Owo where  human lives are cheap!

THOSE MARKED TO BE KILLED

If you are one of the marksmen  or sharp shooters  you have one more victim to shoot , that is me, this writer.  When you see me don’t waste your money or time to add charm or juju with   six inches nail  in the AK 47  but just give me ordinary shakabula or dane gun  shot , and that is all. I am not afraid to die. You all Baaaastarrrdd!. You are all coward.  The fact is that you have murdered sleep and will forever have insomnia till death. I know in the corner of your heart you will be regretting your wicked act. Yes, you thought they will lie against Fulani Herdsmen . You thought he would be buried in a week or two and  be forgotten, unfortunately it is not so!.

The late High Chief

It is Tunde Ilori today and do you know the next victim? It could be me , it could be you , It could be your father, mother, uncle, Niece or Nephew!

DADDY DID YOU DO IT?

Now in the future the Owo Community will make references to suspects. It is a pity their children would ask their fathers ” Did you have hands  in the killing of this Chief?”.  In the middle of the night their wives would wake up their husbands and say ” tell me the truth , did you participate in the killing and  did you hear people are talking about you and running away from you in this small community? ”

Friends  and families will be wary of those suspected to have had hands in it .They will say Et tu Brutus? .And their minds would be   Chei  they  got me . I have collected money . But will they behave as Judas Iscariot behaved?. Judas Iscariot  returned the 30 shekels of silver [ owo eje] to the Chief Priests. The chief priests decided that they could not put it into the temple treasury as it was considered blood money, and so with it they bought the Potter’s Field ,where Judas was buried.

NAMES OF THOSE MARKED FOR ASSASSINATION 

The Marksmen and their Strikers  will soon strike again. About five names were  mentioned here , the first target is this writer, Taiwo Abiodun and others are   Bobo T, T Bobo, BoN, Babalawo Of the Nation

Reason for being marked down , it is because  they wrote about the killing of the High Chief  and if killed nothing will happen  after all  they killed  a First Class Monarch nothing dey sele. They killed a whole High Chief nothing sele! It is ”All correct , shon sir , we don finish that stupid man called  Bobo T, T Bobo, BoN, Babalawo Of the Nation, who be the next target ? just buy me igbo or tramadol and pay my balance”.

The late Elerewe during Igogo Festival

FULL NAMES  & ADDRESSES OF THE SUSPECTS

Do you know the full names of these suspects? If you want to know watch this video in full and you will be shocked . Please don’t edit it or remove anything from it .

The question on everybody’s lips are : Where are the local  or traditional crime trackers?. Where is Oro Or Ogho ? When something like this happen all traditionalists would come out and perform rituals and sacrifices  to expose the killers but we have not heard anything or is  Oro or Ogho  not potent or effective again?.

We need ase, epe, oogun abenugongo and curse  those who planned and killed Elerewe. Lagbara Oloun they will one day confess

As I am listening to Jimmy Cliff ‘s track , I said he could be right after all when he sang

Hypocrite, you dirty hypocrite
You’re gonna pay the price some day
Hypocrites, all of you hypocrites
You’re gonna pay the price some day
Words you speak from your mouth
But your heart is telling lies….

We walked, we talked together, yes we did
We ate, we drank together, yes we did
But when I find
You’re a snake in the grass
My heart grieved to be taken for an ass
(Ooh hoo) but…

….Killers of Elerewe of Owo Kingdom   arrested

….5m paid to the assailants

….He was shot with  charmed nail inserted in AK 47

……Prime suspect on the run

At  last the people of Owo are now relieved  when the police arrested some  suspects  who killed the Elerewe of Owo Kingdom   .The suspects were arrested last Wednesday in Owo. The suspected assassins who participated in the plan and those who pulled the trigger  are now confessing like a tormented witch to their crime at the Police Station, Akure . The ring leader bolted away while his  wife went into hiding.

KILLERS OF ELEREWE  ARRESTED

Six  men    including a father and his son (names withheld) suspected  to  have masterminded the killing of the late Chief  Ilori Tunde the Elerewe of Owo Kingdom   were arrested from their various places on Wednesday evening after a tip off.  Some  were picked up from their hideouts while others were picked from their homes . However, the ring leader  (names withheld) was said to have being pursued by the police but escaped. It was gathered that the  prime  suspect  was said to have paid the sum of  five million naira to the assailants to kill  the  late Chief .One of the suspects who scaled the fence of his house was given the beaten of his life by the Police officer.

This  arrest came  three months after  the late Chief was brutally murdered  when he and  some people were returning from  a fact finding mission. The deceased was accompanied to the farmland by the Land Resolution Committee inaugurated by the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye III, to look into the matter when he was shot at close range in his vehicle while returning to the township. It  was a shock to the community that those who claimed to be innocent at first when they were arrested were the same set of people eventually arrested and now confessing.

According to a reliable source the suspects were firstly arrested immediately after the incident as they were  the prime suspects but were released later by the Police , their release did  not please the slain Chief’s family as they were convinced that  the suspects did it.

Investigation revealed that the prime suspect did all he could do to deceive people that he was innocent  and was  never part of the killing as he went to church to do a thanksgiving for being ‘cleared’  of the killing while he along with others boasted about .

Two weeks ago the suspects were asked to report themselves for another  interrogation but they declined saying they had once been interrogated while their lawyer   ran to the Ministry of Justice to fight for them .  Today the family  members of the late Chief and the public are vindicated as the truth has come out. The wind has blown and we have seen the romp of the fowl.

WHAT LED TO THEIR ARREST

Information gathered that one of the suspects  raped a secondary school   young girl   ( names withheld) and the case was reported to the police. When the police went to  arrest  the suspect about three AK 47 riffles were found in his house . The suspect ( names withheld)  confessed  that the riffles  were kept in his custody and that one of the riffles was used to kill the late Elerewe. He began to  confess like a tormented witch as he named  his accomplices and the man who sent them , our source revealed.

He confessed to the killing and said he planned with others  to execute  it  along with some others who are now at large. The suspect  revealed  that   that they inserted some charmed   six inches nails  into  the riffle  and aimed at the late Chief’s  eyes .He added that they had to do   juju  or charms on the nails  since the late Chief was assumed to be powerful and ordinary gun cannot penetrate into his body.

An AK 47 riffle 

six inches nail

PRIME SUSPECT ON THE RUN

According to a reliable source  the prime and principal suspect ( names withheld) escaped  arrest by the police while investigation reveals that his wife and children have absconded.

As at the time of filing this report investigation revealed that some of the suspects arrested are in the police custody, Akure confessing the roles they played in the killing. While   the natives are jubilating that the culprits were eventually caught .The Police is yet to make an official statement on the issue.

It is exactly three months when  a notable Owo High Chief Ilori Tunde the  Elerewe of Owo was killed .Now new facts are emerging .

Owo First Bank Manager should be invited  for interrogation – Barrister Idowu Femi Falana 

He was killed  over  Chieftaincy  title and Family  property   – Doris ,Wife of late Chief

The older sister of the  late Elerewe of Owo Kingdom has vowed that the remains of his dead brother would not be buried until the killers are identified and brought to book. She made this revelation last week during a telephone interview .

Owo Community in Ondo state was thrown into confusion  three months ago  when the news of  the assassination   of  High Chief Elerewe  was broken. He was said to have been shot at a close range over a dispute a farmland  along Owo- Ute by unknown  gunmen. The  late Chief High  Ilori Tunde who was the Elerewe of Owo Kingdom was said to be  returning from  a fact -finding mission on a land which was said to  belonged to him .Chief Ilori was reportedly ambushed by the masked gunmen while returning from his farmland along Ute road, Owo, which some other parties are laying claim to.

The deceased was accompanied to the farmland by the Land Resolution Committee inaugurated by the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye III, to look into the matter when he was shot at close range in his vehicle while returning to the township.

According to information   the  late Chief  had approached the Olowo for a peaceful resolution of the disputed over the farmland.
Reports had it that the High Chief and members of the committee were attacked on the farm land which led to the death of Ilori. Palace sources said a distress call was received from the committee who reportedly requested for reinforcement to ward off the attack.
During the attack, the masked men targeted the Elerewe and was said to have been shot on the head while others ran for their lives.

OSENI ORONBATO’S ACCOUNT

………They shot the Chief in the eye 

 …….. 11 bullets were extracted  from my body

………. Owo people know the man behind the assassination

An eye witness account Oseni Oronbato  (53)said  he was in the same vehicle with the late Chief with other four  occupants when the tragic incident happened. He said ” My name is Oseni Oronbato , a drycleaner .On that fateful Wednesday , we went to the farmland over the dispute on the farmland on the instruction of  Olowo of Owo   Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III . On our  way  back home  I saw two men who were part of the opposition party  on a motorbike who overtook our vehicle . We were six  in our vehicle with   a  village head  Atelegi Alamuren   of   Ogain he is the Village head of the Community .    we wanted to drop at his Farm Camp  .Not less than 15 minutes on our way when   we heard a sound of a burst tire from our vehicle thinking and   we stopped  to have a look at the tire when one of the Masked men   came closer and  shot at a close range into Elerewe’s eyes and that went into his brain. They fired  shots from behind  and these shots entered my head thank God it didn’t enter my brain, but all the pellets are in my scalp while one went into my back and  my into  hand. It is God  that rescued me from that place. I didn’t see the faces of the assailants because they were all  masked”.

He continued ” one of us who was sitting with Chief Elerewe in the front quickly opened  the door and escaped , yet  these assailants  went after him .But one of us who escaped again ran back , opened the door and seeing that I had not died , dragged me out and we started running to escape  . But already the Elerewe had  died instantly . No rescue , nobody could even rescue him. While I was bleeding  the wo of us ran for three miles   to Amurin Agayin  Farm Camp. It was from here that one of us took his phone and called his ( Elerewe) wife to brief her what happened and they called Amotekun, the State Security Outfit. The Amotekun  arrived  to rescue us and they went to pick up Elerewe’s body .They removed 11 pellets from my body, then seven from my head, they removed two bullets from my back, one dug a hole in my chest as X-ray revealed . I was taken to Akure that night where the X-ray was done on my hands ,chest and other parts of my body. The hospital said  could not remove the bullets  but  I was  given drugs to relieve my pains .I spent four days at Federal Medical Centre, Owo from there I was taken to Iyere- Owo where the trado-medical  removed the bullets. But I am still having pains .It was cartridges that they  shot at me  but I suspected that Elerewe  was shot with AK 47 and they aimed at his eye, and his eye  gouged out as the bullet penetrated into his brain. I spent four days at the hospital. I spent up to 300,000 naira.

DORIS ELEREWE’S CRIES OUT

….Land is a smokescreen 

…All Owo people know the man behind the killing

….Who will take care of my children now?

Doris Elerewe  who was the wife of the late Chief was weeping profusely during the interview, she said the problem started from the chieftaincy title.  Before and since my husband was conferred the title of the chieftaincy  in 2018 his opponent ( names withheld ) has been attacking him. At a time he cooked up  stories that he was an armed robber and a killer .He took my husband to Abuja where he was unlawfully detained for weeks. The said suspect  sold the family’s property and farmland and emptied the family’s treasury but my late husband kept his cool. He threatened my late husband  several times that he should relinquish the tittle or else he would kill him. He had collected over 10years tenant rent from the land the First Bank  have their building on . When my late husband approached the Bank and gave them quit notice and the  suspect was informed  and he quickly ran to the Bank .The Owo First Bank Manager should be summoned to come and tell what he know about all these illegal transactions ”.She added” now who will take cater of my children?”

ADEOLA OLAYINKA

We will not bury Elerewe until the killers are found

……We all know who killed him

…..Let the Federal government come in

Mrs. Adeola Olayinka ( Nee Elerewe) who was the older sister to the late Chief said his younger  brother  had not known peace since his enthronement to the family’s chieftaincy title, Elerewe . According to her,  the genesis of the story was from the chieftaincy tittle  the late Elerewe  was holding , the property, and the Farmland that the late High Chief’s grandfather, Olakunori Elerewe left behind . Olayinka said First Bank   in Owo   that rented the family land was given a quit notice by the late Elerewe  as their rent was almost due .But the prime suspect who had cunningly gone behind to collect 10years rent from them was jittery and had to do all these in order to stop the late Chief from exposing him the more. She said ”the Bank Manager should be summoned  and should be called to give evidences of the transactions as a tenant on the Elerewe’s land, the police should   investigate this  thoroughly .I was called that evening that my brother had been shot and when I got to Owo I was hearing all manners of stories. I was told that the first shot was on the tires while the late chief thought it was his tire that burst , as he came out to look at the tire they fired him at a  close range. The sight of the corpse was too gory to look at . I learnt  they used AK 47 on him. We have gone spiritual , called  his spirit, we have gone traditionally and he told us who killed him but we want all those who had hands in it to be arrested and investigated. They must not go scot free. The late Chief gave   First Bank  located on the family’s ground a quit notice , and some secrets leaked out , that was part of the reasons why he was killed. He also tried to take back the family’s farm back , he won and was murdered in cold blood over all this .The culprits should be  brought to book”

KEHINDE DARAMOLE ( NEE OLATERU OLAGBEGI)

……..He was killed over chieftaincy and property

……….Inspector General of Police should come in

Mrs. Kehinde Daramola ( Nee Olagbegi) said her late Cousin Elerewe was unjustly killed by assassins for no just reason, she implored the state government and Federal Government to do the needful and make sure justice is served. ”All Owo people  know who killed Chief Elerewe. We want justice. If a man of such caliber could be killed and nothing happens then nobody is free. The assassins were paid to kill this man for no just cause, it is bad. The Inspector General  of Police should wade into the matter and treat it urgently because those indicted are trying to use their political power to sweep it under the carpet. This is one dead too many ”, she lamented .

BARRISTER OLUFEMI IDOWU FALANA

Barrister Olufemi Idowu Falana  who is the deputy Head of the campaign for Justice for Chief Ilori Elerewe said the principal suspect (names withheld)was interrogated and  the Police rode in his  (suspect) Hilux  truck to the station and was brought back home.  Falana said ”The Police freed  the two principal suspects(names withheld) on health ground while the duo were heard boasting that they have connections with the political gladiators in the state, they  are  now walking  freely  in the town. I want the government to wade into it , call the First Bank Manager in Owo, investigate the Farmland story and the chieftaincy tussle you will see the whole thing .I want the case to be transferred to Abuja . We want justice at all costs. We are pleading to the Federal Government and the IG to wade into the matter”.

A day after the incident the prime suspect house and store were about to be set ablaze by the angry Owo youths but were stopped by the town’s leaders who appeased to them to keep calm and not to take law into their hands.

The remains of the late Elerewe is still at  the mortuary as no one knows when he would be buried.

 

As at the moment of filing this story some suspects are in police custody confessing and telling the police the roles they played in the killing .

N ow the people of Owo are rejoicing over the arrested suspects saying the town would now be peaceful. A  man said” now we have known  the culprits, the Owo indigenes in diaspora can now come home. I have been hearing  bad reports about the suspects , but now the air has blown and we have seen the romp of the fowl”

The Owo indigenes home and abroad are now appealing  to the Inspector General of Police to bring the criminal to book. Mr. Ikakodara Asanlaiye said ” Let the Police parade all the suspects and charge them to court. We don’t want to hear any story, let justice prevail. Now we are at peace ”, he said.

BY TAIWO ABIODUN

The dead cannot cry for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them –Lois McMaster Bujold 

THE  news jolted everybody.  The news hit the young and the old. The news touched men and women. The news broke  many people’s hearts. The news hit all and sundry. The news spread like  wildfire . In Owo  community  in Ondo State everybody  is   now indoor  as fear had gripped them all   for nobody is  sure of what could happen  and who the next victim could be . In Owo community no one talks about the ugly incidence again for fear of being mauled to death. And if ever discussed it is in hushed tone. But  if such a high profile Chief could  be killed like a chicken  then who is safe?. It is absurd. It is unthinkable. It is unbelievable. It is crude. It is sad. It is the height of wickedness for   Ilori Tunde, the  Elerewe  of Owo to be brutally murdered  like that!.

Weeping and gnashing of teeth took over the ancient town of Owo as   their cries went up to high heavens on the 15th of December 2021 . The young cried aloud  rolling on the ground while   the old  drooped their heads , shaking their heads intermittently  and biting their lips .Women pulled their hair asking one another whether it was true. Some  became dumb temporarily as no words could come out from their  mouth after all obe kii mi nikun agba . Phones were ringing  as many  were calling to confirm whether it was true or not. Paga! Ogun ja, uya je mi   were the painful words coming out from the natives.

From Owo to Lagos, United States of America, London, Russia, Canada, South Africa, all over the world  phones were ringing  as people were calling. Face book  was on ‘fire’ as the news became   talk of the town. It was a high profile crime as all Nigerian newspapers carried the bad news. Yes, bad news travel fast. And  in the Beer Parlours the  news was ”Have you heard the news?”  courtesy to jimmy Cliff.

Suspects? Yes, who could have done this ?. Who could have done this to a High Chief?. He was a six footer.  What could he have done? .What could have been his offence or sin?. For him to have been brutally murdered in cold blood  is  terrible. They aimed at his eyes and shot him . He must have struggled to live. He  must have struggled to survive .The marksmen thought they had succeeded  but no. Any man who would challenge him for a duel when alive  would think twice.

Apart from this he was very popular and loved for he was respectful as he would bow  to anybody while greeting  irrespective of  their  age. He chose his words and would not talk carelessly .Apart from this he was a wiseacre and a cerebral. He was rich in Owo History  no wonder the whole town wept .

Shot dead in his car

With time those who masked to kill him would soon be unmasked . His remains were still in the mortuary . Well , he has been forced to sleep but he is not sleeping . His ghost will haunt and torment his killers. The assassins had murdered sleep .To them they were good strikers .To them they were good marksmen. The killers  would not sleep for they would be running helter – skelter .They have become jittery.  They are running around without being pursued. They have become restless like the sea waves and like a leaf floated on water. They have become the proverbial  bird  that perched on a rope. They  are now suffering from insomnia. Yes, they will soon be singing like canary bird and confessing . They will by God’s grace be  confessing  like a tormented witch  .They have murdered sleep and will sleep no more.

It is Chief Tunde Ilori today but who is next?. Now everybody should be scared  and  if these criminals  cannot be arrested and made to face justice  then nobody, I  repeat nobody is safe . If a High Chief is brutally murdered like a fowl then who is safe?

Accusations and counter accusations are ongoing . On everybody’s lips the question is Who killed Chief Elerewe?. To me, we should stop pointing accusing fingers. The culprits should be fished out or else the worst is still coming . This is not justice only for Elerewe but justice for all. It can happen to anybody.

Let the criminals run .Let the criminals hide. Let the criminals keep mute. Let the criminals  mix with people and be talking .Let the criminals use all means to  pretend but   their hearts would be pounding in their chest cavity  wherever they are. I can bet you ,they have no peace.

If a man of such  high status could be killed in that small community and the criminals  are not fished out then nobody is safe.

The question is ” WHO KILLED  CHIEF ELEREWE?”.

We shall wait , and according to Leo Tolstoy a Russian Writer,” the most powerful warriors are patience and time”. We shall exercise patience , we shall take our time ,one day the culprits would be arrested and  justice will prevail.