A man identified as Wasiu Oduwole has lost one of his eyes after a a traditional ruler, Nureni Oduwaye beat him up in Ogun state.
The victim is said to have lost the eye after the monarch kicked him in the face at an event at the Moore Blessing Hotel, Ikenne, in the Sagamu Local Government Area of the State.
PUNCH Metro reports that Oduwaye attacked the victim for dancing with his queen during a birthday celebration at the hotel.
The royalties and others were said to have been invited by the celebrant, Iya Alaje.
Wasiu told the publication that before the celebration commenced the owner of the hotel, Yakub Omobolanle, contracted him to prepare plates of catfish pepper soup for the guests.
The victim said he had visited the hotel to begin preparations but realized the ingredients were not enough.
He said, “So, I decided to manage the ingredients because the distance of the hotel to the market is far. We were serving the guests when the owner of the hotel and the celebrant approached me and said the guests were complaining that the pepper soup was not well-nourished.
“I told him it wasn’t my fault and that the ingredients were not enough. After I was done with the cooking, I went into the bar, met the owner of the hotel, the celebrant, Iya Alaje, her husband, and a woman, who I never knew was a queen. I started apologising to them and I was told not to worry.
“The celebration was ongoing when the monarch, Nureni Oduwaye, entered. The deejay was playing and everyone was dancing. I was surprised as the celebrant and the queen were singing secular music. I commended them because people of their age and status don’t usually like secular music, let alone knowing the lyrics.”
Oduwole stated that the monarch suddenly approached him and asked that he identify himself and he explained that he was the younger brother of the owner of the hotel.
He claimed that Oduwaye angrily left for his car, adding that the hotel owner and the husband of the celebrant ran after him, but Iya Alaje’s husband returned and instructed him to apologise to the monarch.
Wasiu said, “The queen was even asking what I did wrong but for the sake of peace, I went to apologise to him. When I got to where he was, I started begging him. I told him I was informed that he was annoyed because I was dancing with his queen and said I did not dance with her.
“As I was attempting to lie down to continue begging, he used his leg to kick my left eye. The injury in my eye was so severe that I was rushed to a nearby hospital from where I was transferred to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital
“The monarch only checked on me once and as I am speaking to you, I can no longer see with my left eye. I am blind in my left eye. The case was reported at the Area Command, Sagamu, but nothing was done because the police refused to carry out an investigation. The incident happened on September 21, 2022; I want justice.”