Victor Ogunje, Ado Ekiti
For allegedly stealing a phone belonging to another resident , a traditional chief, Chief Ilesanmi Olorigbo of Ilupeju Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area, was on Sunday said to have stripped naked and made to dance round the town as a mark of punishment for his derisive action.
Olorigbo from Aita quarters, was slammed with the punishment by Apeju-in-council, who expressed disappointment at the chief’s action.
Also, as part of the punishments meted out to him, Olorigbo was forced to commence a hard labour of digging a deep well inside the community market yesterday.
It was reliably gathered that the bubble burst on Sunday, when some youths in the community were tipped that a cell phone that was found missing last Saturday, was found with Olorigbo.
The matter was reportedly made known to the town’s monarch, Oba Olaleye Oniyelu, the Apeju of Ilupeju-Ekiti, who promptly sent the palace guards to fetch Olorigbo.
“On getting to the palace, the Olorigbo was promptly searched and lo and behold, the missing mobile phone was found inside his pocket.
Apparently, he was caught unawares as he did not know what the Kabiyesi had wanted from him,” a source said.
The monarch, who reacted to the incident, said they immediately reported the matter to the police and denied subjecting the suspect to ridicule by way of dancing naked around town.
A resident of the town, who witnessed the incident but craved anonymity, said Olorigbo denied the allegation.
Angered by the development, the monarch immediately invoked some draconian laws of the community which include among others, the stripping up of a thief, compelling him to dance round the town in the full glare of the townspeople and also engaging him in hard labour inside the king’s market for a full month.
Once the monarch pronounced his judgment, Olorigbo was reportedly stripped naked and made to dance round the community while angry and excited towns people jeered him. He also began his third punishment on the dawn of yesterday, Monday, November 14.
Capturing the details of his third punishment, a man who identified himself as Mr. Lukman, said: “From very early this morning, Olorigbo has begun to dig a deep borehole inside the Oba’s market at the centre of Ilupeju.
He would first clear the bushes around the spot and thereafter begin to dig the well, the well must bring crystal clean
water or else, his punishment won’t be complete. This will serve as deterrent to other-would-be thieves in the community, “ he said, adding that “the matter was not reported to the police as the community has already taken internal measures to deal with the strange development.”
Confirming the incident, the Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Alberto Adeyemi , said the man was never a chief and that the person arrested has been charged to court.
Adeyemi also said the man was not stripped naked as rumoured
