Family clarifies cause of Ekiti monarch’s death

The family of the late monarch of Alaworoko of Iworoko Ekiti, Irepodun/Ifelodun local government area of Ekiti State has explained the cause of the death of Oba Micheal Olufemi Aladejana.

Aladejana, an octogenarian, died in the early hours of Wednesday, January 16, at an undisclosed hospital in Ado Ekiti, where he was receiving treatment.

Local news outlets had reported that the monarch died as a result of the shock of the death of 15 residents of his community.

A trailer carrying a branded rice of Senator Tayo Alasoadura, who represents Ondo Central, on Saturday, January 12 rammed into a night market leaving 15 persons including a yet to be identified youth corps members dead and four others fatally injured.

However, the family said the late monarch had been in admission at an undisclosed hospital before the accident occurred, stating that Aladejana’s death was not from the shock of the accident that killed 15 persons.

“In the concocted news whose source was credited to “an indigene of the town who pleaded anonymity”, the media outlets reported that ‘Ekiti monarch died from shock days after 15 residents die’. I want to say categorically that that news is false and misleading,” son of the late monarch Ayodeji Aladejana said in an emailed statement.

Ayodeji explained that “the people of Iworoko Ekiti are peace-loving citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As such, there was no restriction of movement of any kind as the news articles reported.”

“Kabiyesi was a law-abiding Nigerian and it was just logical that we decided to respect everyone’s right to freedom of movement as contained in the constitution even in his absence.”

He, however, expressed disappointment by respected media giants outlets for the earlier report, saying “Our media need to get their facts right to avoid misleading the public.”