It was a dramatic scene yesterday as a traditional chief, simply identified as Ilesanmi Olorigbo, from Aita quarters of Ilupeju-Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, was forced to dig a deep well inside the market.

Chief Olorigbo was reportedly slammed with the punishment for allegedly stealing a phone.
He was said to have been earlier stripped naked and paraded round the town for hours for stealing a mobile phone at his Aita quarters in the community.

DAILY POST ygathered that trouble ensued on Sunday, when some youths in the community were tipped that a phone that was found missing on Saturday, November 12, was found with chief Olorigbo.

The matter was reportedly made known to the town’s monarch, HRM Oba Olaleye Oniyelu, the Apeju of Ilupeju-Ekiti, who promptly sent the ‘Emese’ (palace guards) to fetch Olorigbo.

“On getting to the palace, the Olorigbo was promptly searched and the missing cell phone was found inside his pocket. Apparently, he was caught unawares as he did not know what the Kabiyesi had wanted from him,” a resident of the town, who witnessed the incident but pleaded anonymity, told our orrespondent

Angered by the development, the monarch allegedly immediately invoked some draconian laws of the community which include among others, the stripping up of a thief, compelling him to dance round the town in the full glare of the townspeople and also engaging him in hard labour inside the king’s market for a full month.

As soon as the monarch pronounced his judgment, Olorigbo was reportedly stripped naked and made to dance round the community, while angry and excited residents jeered at him.

He also reportedly began his third punishment on the dawn of yesterday, Monday, November 14.

Capturing the details of his third punishment, Mr. Luku, a resident of the town said: “from very early this morning, (yesterday), the Olorigbo, also called chief Ilesanmi has began to dig a deep borehole inside the Oba’s market at the centre of Ilupeju.

“He would first clear the bushes around the spot and thereafter begin to dig the well, the well must bring crystal clean water or else, his punishment won’t be complete.

“This will serve as a deterrent to other would be thieves in the community, ” he said, adding that the matter was not reported to the police as the community had already taken internal measures to deal with the strange development.

However, the Apeju of Ilupeju Ekiti, Oba Olaleye Oniyelu, has denied that Chief Olorigbo, was stripped naked and compelled to dance round the town.
The monarch in a telephone chat said he was in the hospital when Olorigbo was brought to the palace but confirmed that the matter was reported to the police station by his wife.

He said: “When the matter was brought to the palace, I was in the hospital and the matter was taken to the police station and I don’t know what really happened. I don’t know whether he was paraded round the town, but I will find out.

“Olorigbo calls himself a chiefj he used to perform rituals and he is the leader of those praying at one of the shrines and anybody whose hand is not clean cannot go there. The adherents of the deity said he will be removed. That is what I know.

“I am not aware that he was stripped naked; that was the reason why the matter was reported to the palace. It was my wife that called the police.”

Police spokesman, Alberto Adeyemi said Olorigbo was arrested and that the matter will be charged to court.