Ondo youth protests monarch’s conversion to Christianity, blames him for calamities

A group of youth in Ikun Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State, have taken to the streets in protest against the tragedy befalling their communities.

Carrying palm fronds and singing solidarity songs as they protested on Thursday, November 3, 2022, the protesters, while expressing their displeasure at the tragedies they’ve been experiencing, accused their traditional ruler, Oba Olokunbola Adedoyin, of being lackadaisical over finding a solution to the premature deaths of promising sons and daughters of the community.

According to a source in the community, the youth are displeased with the monarch, who’s now claiming to be a born-again Christian, because of his refusal to do rituals that could ward off the calamities in the town.

It was, however, gathered that the protesting youth invaded the monarch’s palace, and vandalised some of his properties.

“They stormed the palace and threw palm leaves at the palace. After that, they moved to the only petrol station in the town, owned by the Oba, and torched a part of it during the protest,” he stated.

Reacting to the development, the traditional ruler said he had been trying his best to attract development to the town since he became the Onikun of Ikun.

Adedoyin, who has spent 19 years on the throne, added that the youth threatened to kill him and his son before they attacked his petrol station, where an attendant was hacked and three generators valued at N1.5 million were vandalised.

He, however, described himself as a prayer warrior, who had been spiritually interceding alongside others, for the community.

Confirming the vandalism, Ondo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Funmilayo Odunlami said normalcy had been restored.