SOCIETY: SACRIFICE PALAVA AT PALACE OF LAGOS TRADITIONAL RULER -MONARCH DENIES ASSAULTING PREGNANT WOMAN

A drama unfolded last Sunday at the palace of the traditional ruler of the Oworonshoki Kingdom in  Lagos State, HRH Oba Babatunde Saliu, over the activities of some traditionalists reportedly observing a festival in the area -where they are to perform spiritual sacrifices’. 

Not at home with their intentions, the monarch had taken actions to dislodge them. The story that went viral afterwards is that that thugs working for the king attacked the worshippers and one of them, suffered a miscarriage as a result.

Oba Babatunde Saliu has however come public to refute the story.  In a statement issued and personally signed by Oba Saliu on Wednesday, the Oloworo vehemently denied the report, stating that it was entirely untrue and a gross misrepresentation of facts. He also said the story was a blatant attempt to tarnish his reputation and cause harm to his character, urging the public to disregard it.

“As an educated king with a sound pedigree, I would never resort to violence or use thugs to harm my people. I heard a loud voice in front of my palace on June 3rd when some traditionalists walked to perform sacrifice holding horsetails on Sunday night and I stopped them. (I asked) Which festival are you doing that you hold horsetails and walk on Sunday without informing the king? One of them said they were going to do sacrifice, I asked politely which sacrifice are you doing by this time without informing the king or any other traditional chiefs in the kingdom? I told them that the king should be informed if any sacrifice is to be offered, more so, that shouldn’t be done at this time when people are still going about their normal business activities.

“I further told them that this is a community where children, elders and the aged move about doing their various businesses. I called the Oworosoki Police Division to come, to interrogate them. After a while, I told the police to let them go and I entered my palace. It is, however, surprising where the information came from that I used thugs. As a respected and educated monarch, I don’t use thugs, I use appropriate authorities to handle my issue. The peace of my community is paramount,” he stated.

The monarch added that a civil action will be filed against the publishers of the story for retraction,  public apology and damages.