The Olu of Itori, Oba AbdulFatai Akorede Akamo, has broken his silence over a publication which alleged that he had ordered arrest of a PUNCH correspondent in his palace.

Oba Akamo, who just concluded his 21st coronation anniversary with gestures to orphanage home and the Nigeria Correctional Centre both in Abeokuta, stated that he neither ordered the arrest nor requested for detention of the said correspondent but acknowledged the presence of the journalist among his colleagues invited from Abeokuta for the press briefing held on the occasion of his anniversary.

Narrating what transpired between him and the correspondent, Oba Akamo expressed his dismay that such a report was published during his happy mood, recalling that the reporter came forward from his seat and knelt before him after the question and answer session of the briefing had been concluded.

The Olu Itori explained, "The young man came, knelt before me and said he wanted to ask me a question. I first felt somehow and asked myself why didn't he ask when his colleagues were asking me questions. Well, I asked him to go ahead with his question. Then, he asked about a land matter of which I am not involved. I said to him that I had answered a related question during the briefing.

"He then said he would not leave unless I answer him. That attitude was strange to me coming from a reporter, and it raised a suspicion that he probably had an agenda different from the press briefing. I then ignored him and attended to my guests who were waiting for my attention. How he now went to write that I ordered his arrest after I had shifted my attention to other things remains a surprise to me."

The traditional ruler said the little knowledge he had observed among his journalists friends is their adherence to accurate reporting of events, pointing out that the allegation the correspondent had published against his person was misleading to the public who were not in the palace.

"I am aware of the said land but I am not the one who bought it, let alone sending anybody there. I have my landed property elsewhere. Why should anybody link me with this one? But I am used to these false allegations anyway. That is the price of holding a public position as this stool. I am saying it that I am a friend of the media and shall continue to be their friends. It is just unfortunate that this happened when I was giving thanks to God for witnessing another year on the throne. Anyway, I have moved on," he concluded.

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