Ogun monarch suspended over naira abuse

The Egba Traditional Council headed by the Alake of Egbaland has suspended the Olu of Owode in Obafemi/Owode Local Government of Ogun State, Oba Kolawole Sowemimo, for allegedly abusing the naira notes.

Oba Sowemimo in a viral video had allegedly abused the naira while spraying popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, popularly known as KWAM 1 at a party.

In the video, the monarch had knitted N1,000 notes together forming a long rope which he wrapped round the neck of KWAM 1.

Last Month, the National Orientation Agency, (NOA), wrote a letter to the embattled monarch, saying his actions could earn him imprisonment.

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And on Friday, the Egba traditional council announced the suspension of the monarch for publicly degrading Nigerian currency, an offence which contravene the law of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The council suspended the monarch for two months without salary.

The meeting in a joint resolution adopted the suspension of the monarch following the recommendation of its Ethical Committee which declared that during the period of his (Sowemimo) suspension he should not parade himself as a traditional ruler.

Our correspondent gathered that, the resolution emphasized that Oba Sowemimo should not be invited or seen at any government or public function as a traditional ruler, and for period of three months should not receive any payments

The Chairman of a three-member Ethical Committee of the Egba Traditional Council, Oba Saka Matemilola, who read the report of the committee said that the committee came to its decision after examining the viral video in which Oba Sowemimo breached the ethics of a Yoruba traditional institution by defacing Nigeria’s currency.

The committee chairman who is the Olowu of Owu said findings revealed that the embattled traditional ruler was seen holding strewn Naira as a bead and hung onto the neck of a musician in public.

The chairman added that a lot of public condemnation of the act inundated the council with derisive comments on the traditional institution, stressing that the said the Oba’s action is in contradiction of Section 21(1) of Central Bank Act, 2007.

Confirming his suspension, Oba Sowemimo said “the suspension was announced during our meeting yesterday (Friday), they said the suspension was due to the way I spent money on one musician.

“And when I was asked if I had anything to say, I stood up and apologized for whatever I have done wrong and the suspension which was earlier announced to be for three months without salaries was reduced to two months. I totally accept the verdict of the council because it is the person that we love that we chastise, so I am good with the decision”.