‘I was beaten, threatened with death by Ogun monarch,’ says 73-year-old man

A 73-year-old man, Chief Abraham Areola, who was allegedly brutally attacked in public by the Olorile of Orile Ifo in Ogun State, Oba Semiu Ogunjobi, is seeking the protection of Nigerians and relevant authorities from the monarch.

The victim, in an interview claimed the monarch had vowed to “kill me,” following a video showing the elderly man being repeatedly assaulted and publicly humiliated on the street over an alleged chieftaincy dispute.

Although the monarch denied being the person seen humiliating the elderly man in the video, sources within the community, the victim, and Emmanuel Ojo, the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, confirmed the monarch’s identity in a post condemning the video.

The brief yet unsettling video captured one of the monarch’s aides snatching the elderly man’s cap as he knelt disoriented, while another struck him from behind, despite his polite attempts to ask what he had done wrong.

Shocked by the slap, the distraught chief lamented in Yoruba, “I’m not feeling well.” In response, the monarch coldly retorted, “Die if you want to die. We will bury you, and nobody will know.”

“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,” the humiliated man pleaded, as the monarch, whose face was not visible in the video, continued to hurl insults and curses at him while he (the victim) was forced to lie flat on his chest.

“The entire Ifo land belongs to me. I will send you to prison. I own the entire Nigeria Police Force. I will send you to prison,” the monarch boasted.

Meanwhile, Ojo, who verified the identities of the monarch and the victim, condemned the disturbing act.

He said, “I came across a disturbing video online showing Chief Areola Abraham being subjected to public humiliation and physical assault. In the video, 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.

“The king allegedly took offence at Chief Areoola Abraham Love’s perceived support for a coronet Oba named Wasiu (as mentioned in the video). In response, he confronted the elderly man in his area and treated him in a manner unbefitting of a traditional ruler.

“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.”

In an interview, the elderly man emphasised that he still had not been told what his offence was and pleaded for Nigerians to come to his aid.

“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.

“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.”

When asked about the steps he had taken after the alleged assault, he 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.”

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However, in a phone conversation with our correspondent, the monarch denied the accusation, expressing frustration over the numerous petitions he had received from all sides regarding the incident.

“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,” the monarch insisted.