Oba Kolawole Sowemimo, the Olu of Owode in the Obafemi/Owode Local Government of Ogun State, has been slammed with a two-month suspension for decorating a popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM 1 with new naira notes.
The traditional ruler confirmed the development on Saturday, adding that the suspension was announced during the traditional rulers’ meeting on Friday.
He was suspended for two months without salaries by the Egba Traditional Council over alleged abuse of naira notes.
“They said the suspension was due to the way I spent money on one musician,” he said.
He continued, “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.”
A viral video in early January showed the royal father decorating Wasiu Ayinde, with knitted new notes of N1000 which was used as a garland to decorate the musician.
The council had filed a complaint against Sowemimo for publicly disparaging Nigerian currency, which is a violation of Central Bank of Nigeria legislation.
He was reportedly suspended on Friday during the Egba Traditional Council’s February statutory meeting, which was presided over by the Alake and supreme monarch of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo.
In a joint resolution, the meeting adopted the monarch’s suspension based on the suggestion of its Ethics Committee, which stated that he (Sowemimo) should not display himself as a traditional king during his suspension.
According to the resolution, Sowemimo shall not be invited or seen at any government or public function as a traditional king, and he should not get any remuneration for three months.
Oba Saka Matemilola, Chairman of the Egba Traditional Council’s three-member Ethics Committee, read the committee’s report and stated that the committee reached its decision after reviewing the viral video in which Sowemimo violated the ethics of a Yoruba traditional institution by defacing Nigeria’s currency.
The committee chairman, Olowu of Owu, stated that results proved that the embattled traditional ruler was seen in public carrying a strewn naira as a bead and hanging onto the neck of a singer.
The chairman added that a lot of public condemnation of the act inundated the council with derisive comments on the traditional institution, stressing that the said Oba’s action is in contradiction of Section 21(1) of Central Bank Act, 2007.
The National Orientation Agency had also last month issued a strict warning to the embattled traditional ruler for abusing the naira notes during his 13th anniversary of ascension to the royal stool.
Reacting to the video in a statement signed and directed to the monarch, Director-General, NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, said the display was an abuse of the national currency that attracts imprisonment, fines, or both.
