Who killed Chief Tunde Ilori the Elerewe of Owo Kingdom?

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.

Author: Taiwo Abiodun

I am a blogger . taiwoabiodun.com and TAIWOABIODUN.BLOGSPOT.COM View all posts by Taiwo Abiodun