Religion

Youths Beat Osun Monarch to a Pulp Over Imam Appointment Amid Rising Tensions

Published by Tope Fakinlede on January 4th, 2025.

Youths Beat Osun Monarch to a Pulp Over Imam Appointment Amid Rising Tensions

Tensions erupted in Ido-Osun as youths violently attacked Oba Olaiya, a newly appointed monarch, after he appointed a new Chief Imam without the community’s consent. According to reports from First Class Gists, Oba Olaiya’s promotion from a community leader to a Part II king was met with resistance from local residents, who felt the decision was made without their approval.

The situation escalated when Oba Olaiya built his palace on land belonging to Ido-Osun, which further angered the community. The unrest reached a boiling point last week when he appointed Ahmad Tijani as the new Chief Imam, despite Ido-Osun already having a serving Chief Imam.

Sources indicate that tensions flared when a gathering was held at the palace for the new Imam’s Jumat service. As the event progressed, local youths confronted the monarch, resulting in a violent altercation. “The situation quickly escalated, and the monarch was severely beaten,” a security source revealed.

Another security official confirmed that the police intervened to rescue Oba Olaiya, who suffered significant injuries. “The police managed to remove the monarch from the scene, and he is now being held at the police station. He will be taken to the hospital shortly due to the extent of his injuries.”

When reached for comment, Samuel Ojo, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, declined to provide details, stating, “I cannot comment at this time, but I will make further inquiries and get back to you.”

Efforts to reach Yemisi Opalola, the spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, were unsuccessful as her phone went unanswered during the time of this report.