Posted by By GABRIEL DIKE, Osogbo on
Certainly, Thursday, July 24, 2008 would for ever remain fresh in the minds of the sleepy community of Okuku, hometown of the Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, when armed robbers invaded the palace of Olokuku, Oba Samuel Oyebode Oluronke and held him and his household hostage before making away with artefacts worth millions of naira.
Certainly, Thursday, July 24, 2008 would for ever remain fresh in the minds of the sleepy community of Okuku, hometown of the Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, when armed robbers invaded the palace of Olokuku, Oba Samuel Oyebode Oluronke and held him and his household hostage before making away with artefacts worth millions of naira.
On that fateful night, armed robbers stormed the palace of the monarch and inflicted matchete cuts on him and carted away valuable historical artefacts which included, beaded crown, walking sticks, traditional attires, cars and cash among other precious items in the over three-hour raid.
In the last one year, armed bandits had made similar raids on the palaces of three Obas in the state including Obagun in Ifelodun Local Government, Igbajo in Boluwaduro Local Government and lately Okuku in Odo-Otin Local Government.
The hoodlums' invasion of the palace of the Olokuku has generated reactions because the community is the hometown of the present number one citizen of the state who is also from a royal lineage in Okuku and whose late father was once the traditional ruler of the area.
Oba Oluronke, who is yet to recover from the shock of the robbery incident, has continued to receive sympathisers from within the town and neigbouring communities including top government functionaries. The sad news of the robbery incident hit the community in the morning like a thunderbolt. While the senior chiefs gathered at the palace to review the situation, the vigilante groups and the youths mobilized and combed all the surrounding bushes and other areas without the trace of the bandits.
Some indigenes, however vowed to ensure that the stolen valuables were recovered and those behind the crime punished for desecrating their traditional institution. Also, traditional chiefs and spiritualists in the town are working round the clock to ensure the recovery of the stolen objects.
Less than 24 hours after the robbery, the Osun State Police Command claimed it had arrested seven persons in connection with the incident and had also begun investigations into the case. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Mr. Joshua Olayemi disclosed that the suspects were arrested at different locations in the state.
The police spokesman said the suspects are currently going through interrogations at the command's headquarters in Osogbo and that the suspects may be charged to court soon.
Narrating his three-hour ordeal in the hands of the bandits, Oba Samuel Oluronke told Daily Sun that he was held hostage by the robbers who, he said, gained access into the palace through the fence, as well as the main gate. According to him, the hoodlums tied the two local guards before carrying out the operation.
The monarch said the artefacts could fetch over a billion naira considering that they belonged to an African traditional community
His words: 'In foreign countries they auction things like that. Hardly can you find the beaded crown anywhere in Yorubaland. Most of these artefacts, it is the age that they use to value them. The robbers saw the new ones they didn't take them.'
According to the monarch, nobody showed the bandits where the artefacts were kept. Oba Oluronke added: "It was a terrible experience, I have never experienced it in my life. After gaining access to my room, they woke me up and gave me the beaten of my life and one of them matcheted me.
'Immediately the robber woke me up, they ordered me to bring out all the valuable artefacts in the palace, but they did not even wait for me to respond to their demand before they entered into a room where they were kept. At the end of the day, they went with our beaded crowns, which I inherited from my forefathers, walking sticks, beads and some traditional clothes. All the stolen items were inherited from my forefathers."
On the seven- day ultimatum given by the indigenes to the robbers to return the stolen items, the monarch said that the community only prayed to God and didn't go to any person or anywhere, stressing that it was a supplication to God.
He said that at a meeting of the Council of Obas, the issue of security in the palaces was raised and it was suggested that the royal fathers should reinforce security in the palaces. 'We have a vigilante group, but I later learnt that two members of the vigilante were overpowered and tied up, so they could not do otherwise. The robbers stationed themselves at strategic places in the palace. I do not suspect any political motive behind the robbery.'
However, the monarch who was coronated in 1981 said: 'There is no smoke without fire, I think there are some insiders who led them to the palace. Because a stranger will not know what is happening in Okuku.'