The Egba Traditional Council under the chairmanship of the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, on Friday, suspended the Olu of Owode in Obafemi -Owode Local Government Area, Oba Kolawole Sowemimo, for two months over alleged abuse of naira notes.
Sowemimo’s suspension was announced during the traditional rulers meeting on Friday.
A viral video in early January showed the royal father decorating a popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, with knitted new notes of N1,000 which was used as a garland to decorate the musician.
Oba Sowemimo, in a viral video in early January was seen decorating a popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde, with knitted new notes of N1,000 which was used as a garland to decorate the musician during the 60th birthday of his wife.
The council had moved against Sowemimo for publicly degrading Nigerian currency, an offence that contravenes the law of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The monarch’s action also sparked a lot of reactions on social media, with the Federal Government, through the National Orientation Agency frowned at the action of the monarch.
The traditional ruler, it was gathered, had since apologised to the Federal Government for his action.
A three-man, Ethics Committee chaired by the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Professor Saka Matemilola, found the monarch guilty of abusing the naira and recommended a three-month suspension without pay for Oba Sowemimo.
The Committee in the resolution also directed the monarch not to attend any state function, nor parade himself as traditional ruler pending the expiration of the suspension.
When contacted, the suspended monarch, in a telephone interview, confirmed the development to newsmen.
He said, “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 apologised for whatever I had 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,” he said.
