- Ogunsua of Modakeke dismisses assassination claim by Ojenpetu ruler
- Palace insists allegations are fabricated to tarnish monarch’s image
- Legal action underway as royal tension brews in Osun community
The Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Joseph Olu Toriola Ajibise Ogo I, has strongly denied allegations of orchestrating an assassination attempt on a fellow traditional ruler.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Oba Adeyinka Adeshina Obawale, who identifies as the Oluoje of Ojenpetu, had accused the Modakeke monarch of masterminding a violent attack against him in April 2025.
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Obawale claimed that he narrowly escaped death on April 24 when four armed men ambushed him while he was driving through the Olanrewaju area of Modakeke.
The assailants, he alleged, used rifle butts to smash his vehicle’s windshield before he managed to flee the scene unharmed.
According to Obawale, the attack followed rising tension over the relocation of his community from Gadumo in Kogi State to a new settlement at Okuomoni in Ife North Local Government Area, Osun State.
He stated that his group had legally secured farmland and a resettlement deal approved by the Olomoni of Okuomoni, Oba Odedoyin Michael Taiwo.
However, Obawale alleged that Oba Toriola had been misled into believing that his people were Fulani settlers bringing herders into the area under the guise of farming.
Responding to the accusation, the Ogunsua’s Palace Media Committee, through its chairman, Chief Kola Olabisi, described the claims as completely unfounded and politically motivated.
In a strongly worded statement, the palace accused Obawale of attempting to smear the name of the Ogunsua and disrupt the peace in Modakeke.
The statement insisted that the Ogunsua, a respected traditional ruler, would never be involved in any form of criminality or lawlessness.
It further noted that the palace found the allegations too baseless to ignore, warning that repeated lies could be mistaken for truth if left unchallenged.
The palace also rejected claims of ethnic bias against Fulani people, stressing that Modakeke has always welcomed law-abiding Nigerians regardless of origin.
However, it made clear that the community would not hesitate to report or resist individuals perceived as threats to peace and security.
While maintaining that the monarch is committed to peaceful coexistence, the palace hinted that Obawale may be a pawn in a larger plot to destabilise the area.
As tension continues to build, the Ogunsua has reportedly instructed his legal team to take action against Obawale for defamation and character assassination.
