By Hakeem Gbadamosi, Akure
The traditional ruler of Igbara-Oke kingdom in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo state, Oba Francis Adefarakanmi Agbede, has expressed dismay over a media report linking him with a directive that his subjects should vote for a particular candidate in the forthcoming Presidential election.
The monarch, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Ayodeji Owolabi, said the report was false but said the visual accompanied with audio was doctored by some elements to embarrass him.
He denied endorsing any of the presidential candidates or threatening residents in his domain to vote for a particular party in the upcoming election and described the media report as a defamatory news item by unprofessional bloggers.
He stated that the media report referred to him as Baale of the Igbara Community in Eti-Osa in Lagos. In contrast, he was a first-class traditional ruler of the Igbara-Oke kingdom in the Ifedore local government area of Ondo state.
The monarch stated in the statement, “the attention of His Royal Majesty, Oba Dr Francis Adefarakanmi Agbede, Olowa and Paramount Ruler of Igbara-Oke kingdom in Ondo State has been drawn to the news by some blogs, which displayed his picture and details as Baale of Igbara Community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, in an online story accompanied by an alleged audio recording of his Highness threatening residents in his domain to vote a particular party in the upcoming election.
“Oba Agbede, the Paramount Ruler and Prescribed Authority, Olowa of Igbara-Oke of Igbara-Oke kingdom, a First Class traditional ruler in Ondo State, is not a Baale and has nothing to do with the threatening audio being circulated.
“According to the report, the author stated that Oba Adefarakanmi Agbede, has been invited by the Lagos State Police Command of the Nigeria Police Force for questioning.”
While responding to Oba, Agbede said the defamatory news item was unprofessional by its publishers or bloggers and called on the general public to disregard the dangerous and damaging news.
As a matter of urgency, he also advised the publishers to retract the defamatory publication and apologise for the embarrassment caused to the Olowa of Igbara Oke and his entire citizens all over the world by the defamatory news.
He also used the opportunity to advise journalists to be more professional by knowing and verifying their source of information before publication because such fake news and defamation of character could hinder peace, particularly in our Nation.
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