••• It is forbidden for a king’s blood to touch the ground – Odidiomo
The Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, a respected traditional ruler in Ondo State, has come forward with a shocking account of a public altercation involving Dayo Aiyedatiwa, the elder brother of the state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
The monarch’s version of events has stirred public concern over growing tensions between political influence and traditional authority.
The incident occurred during a formal event where monarchs from across the region had gathered.
As the host, Oba Odidiomo said he personally welcomed each traditional ruler and ensured they had seats—sometimes offering up his own to accommodate arriving kings.
But trouble began when a man later identified as Dayo Aiyedatiwa reportedly brought a chair and placed it directly in front of the royal high table, sitting squarely before a gathering of monarchs.
“I approached him with respect,” Oba Odidiomo told SaharaReporters. “I simply said, ‘Please, sir, where you are sitting is not appropriate. You are sitting in front of kings.’”
According to the monarch, the response was anything but respectful.
“He looked at me and said, ‘Do you know who you are talking to?’ I didn’t know who he was at that moment—God is my witness,” the monarch recounted.
Then came the words that reverberated across the venue: “It will not be well with you.”
Oba Odidiomo, clad in full royal regalia, said he was stunned. “I asked him, ‘What did you just say? Are you saying that to me?’ And he repeated it.”
The confrontation soon escalated. The monarch claims Dayo attempted to physically lift him from the ground—a move Oba Odidiomo interpreted as both an assault and a deep insult. “He bent my head and grabbed my ear. Blood started dripping,” he said.
Fearing further harm—and suspecting Dayo’s walking stick might contain a hidden blade—the monarch retaliated with a blow from the same stick. “It was self-defense,” he said. “If someone could grab my ear and curse me in public, what else was he capable of?”
It was only afterward that Oba Odidiomo said he learned the identity of the man: Dayo Aiyedatiwa, the governor’s elder brother.
“I was shocked. I was told he was not even a king. The people seated behind him were traditional rulers,” the monarch said.
Media Distortion and Misinformation
Following the incident, reports began circulating that painted a different picture entirely.
One online platform, Roving Reporters, claimed the monarch arrived late and
Oba Odidiomo has strongly refuted accounts that he arrived late at the event and was attacked after confronting an unnamed community leader.
He accused the publication of spreading falsehoods to shield Dayo and discredit the throne.
“They called for my suspension and even suggested dethronement. That was not just misinformation—it was a coordinated attack on the truth,” he said.
He believes the misleading narrative may have been driven by regional loyalty, noting that the report was authored by someone from Ilaje, Dayo’s community.
A Matter of Tradition and Honour
Oba Odidiomo emphasized that his silence until now was out of respect—for tradition, for the office of the governor, and for peace.
“I refused to speak to the press because it would not undo the pain or the embarrassment. But the truth must be told.”
He revealed that traditional rites have begun in his kingdom following the bloodshed. “It is forbidden for a king’s blood to touch the ground. We began the rites last night, and they will last for three days.”
Despite calls for legal action, the monarch says he has opted for calm and dignity—for now.
“I’m not the judge in this case. Let the traditional council, the elders, and the people of good conscience judge this matter. I only want the truth preserved.”
As protests begin to surface in front of local government offices and phone calls from government representatives increase, the monarch says he is doing all he can to de-escalate the matter—for now.
“But let no one mistake silence for weakness,” he added.
