Ikere Ekiti: One shot as festivals turn violent

What would have been double joy of merriment from two traditional festivals in Ikere-Ekiti turned violent at the weekend, following the shooting of one person in a confrontation between celebrants of Odun Oba and Olosunta.

The Odun Oba Festival celebrated by the Ogoga, Oba Adejimi Adu Alagbado was at its peak on Saturday, with paying of homage and celebration of the New Yam, while celebration of weeklong Olosunta by Olukere, Ganiyu Ayodele Obasoyin, commenced same day

Soldiers, riot policemen and men of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps had mounted guard in Odo Oja area, which was the hotspot to prevent a reoccurrence of violence that usually characterise such festivals in the town.

Olukere and Ogoga have been trading accusations on who caused the violence, which started Friday night and continued till early hours of Saturday.

While Ogoga alleged that Olukere’s thugs attacked the Oloris (palace queens) on Friday, wounding some of them during the traditional dance to some locations in the town, Olukere claimed that security men working for Ogoga invaded his palace at about 1.00 am on Saturday, shooting sporadically.

Police Public Relations Officer, Caleb Ikechukwu, could not be reached for comments at press time as his phone was switched off and was yet to respond to a text message sent to his phone.