Iyaloja General Spill Fire, Assaults Journalist, Seize Newspapers in Lagos

In a bizarre display of power, the Iyaloja General of Lagos, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo on Sunday harassed two journalists working for a Lagos based Yoruba newspaper identified as Asejere Newspaper for undisclosed reason,in what some observers call a bizarre show of power. The two journalists; Oluwatoyin Mathnuel and Jamiu Musa are said to be reporting for Asejere, a Yoruba business newspaper.

The assault took place on Sunday at the Bishop Aggey Memorial playing ground, Mushin, which is the venue of the final burial rites of the Late Iyaloja of Daleko Market, Alhaja Rafatu Ajani, popularly known as Mama Alalikinba. She passed on at the age of 97.

According to an eye witness, upon arriving at the venue of the event, the Iyaloja, Mrs. Folasade Tinubu-Ojo pounced on the two journalists where they were seated with several copies of the newspaper, which also featured an article on the late Iyaloja of Daleko and seized all the newspapers running into millions of Naira.

It was gathered that the Tinubu Ojo came late to the event around 7 pm, and she was escorted by men in military uniform as well as policemen. Immediately the assault occurred, the people around the area scampered for safety, not wanting to be caught in the web of the crisis.

This put a momentary stop to the event. Embarrassed members of the family and traders present at the event calmed down the iyaloja before decorum was restored. She later left with the seized newspapers. She only spent 10 minutes at the burial ceremony, according to the witness.

One of the Iyalojas that spoke to us in confidence confirmed the incident said the incident actually occurred, and that she does not know why Folasade Tinubu-Ojo went on rampage at the solemn event. She said: “Why Iya (Iyaloja) behaved like that we don’t know, we love the newspaper, it is reported in our language, and they promote the iyalojas and babalojas, the issue she has with the journalists, we don’t know.”

When contacted the Editor-in-Chief of Asejere Newspaper refuse to give details of what led to the incident, as he is unwilling to speak further about the matter. He, however, confirmed that the unfortunate incident happened.