Monarch Burnt to Death After Arsonists Set Palace Ablaze

The sleepy town of Ilase-Ijesa in Obokun local government area of Osun State was, on Wednesday night, thrown into mourning, when the ruler of the community, the Alase of Ilase-Ijesa, Oba Adesina Anibijuwon, was burnt to death inside his palace.

The 80-year old monarch, who became blind shortly after he ascended the throne, was allegedly attacked by some hoodlums at about 8.00pm inside his palace and eventually died when his room was razed by suspected arsonists.

The embattled monarch, who had been embroiled in a chieftaincy tussle upon his ascendance to the throne, was said to have mended fences with his rivals before the dastardly act was perpetrated.

Though residents were going about their normal business when LEADERSHIP Friday visited the town on Thhursday, it was obvious that the community was in mourning.

A traditional chief in the town, Chief Oluwagbemiga Oke, who spoke at the scene of the incident, explained that the monarch had attended to five guests who came with a pink Mazda car before the incident, adding that "from what we were told, the house got burnt shortly after the people left."

Also, an officer of the state fire service, Michael Ogundipe, ruled out the possibility that the fire was caused by an electric surge, saying that findings by his men revealed that the case was arson. Ogundipe, who conducted officials of the state government - including the state commissioner for information and strategy, Sunday Akere; commissioner for culture and tourism, Alhaji Sikiru Ayedun and special adviser to the governor on security, Amos Adekunle - round the razed palace said that nothing suggested electric surge from all findings made at the scene.

Also, it was gathered that two of the monarch's children and his house-maid escaped from the house when it was gutted by fire, but the helpless monarch remained trapped inside.

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