The Olu of Owode in Obafemi/Owode Local Government of Ogun State, Oba Kolawole Sowemimo, has confirmed his two-month suspension without salaries by the Egba Traditional Council.

This action was taken in response to the monarch’s alleged abuse of naira notes, as seen in a viral video from early January.

In the video, the royal father was captured on camera adorning popular Fuji musician Wasiu Ayinde with knitted new notes of N1,000, using them as a garland.

The event did not settle well with the Egba Traditional Council as they decided to suspend the monarch for his public degradation of the Nigerian currency, which is a violation of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s regulations.

The suspension was reportedly imposed during the February statutory meeting of the Egba Traditional Council, chaired by the Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo.

Naija News understands that the joint resolution passed during the meeting approved the suspension of the monarch based on the Ethics Committee’s recommendation.

It was declared that Sowemimo should refrain from presenting himself as a traditional ruler during his suspension period.

It was also noted that Sowemimo is prohibited from attending or being present at any government or public events as a traditional ruler, and he will not receive any payments for a duration of three months.

Speaking to journalists on the development, Sowemimo said the suspension was announced during the traditional rulers meeting on Friday.

“They said the suspension was due to the way I spent money on one musician.

“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,” the traditional ruler told The PUNCH.

In his report, Oba Saka Matemilola, the Chairman of the three-member Ethics Committee of the Egba Traditional Council, stated that the committee reached its decision after carefully reviewing the viral video in which Sowemimo violated the ethics of a Yoruba traditional institution by defacing Nigeria’s currency.

The Olowu of Owu and the committee chairman, Oba Saka Matemilola, disclosed that their findings revealed that the embattled traditional ruler was captured on camera holding scattered naira notes as a bead and clasping onto the neck of a musician in a public setting.

Furthermore, the chairman emphasized that the council received a significant amount of public condemnation for this act, with derogatory comments directed towards the traditional institution. He highlighted that the actions of the Oba are in direct contradiction to Section 21(1) of the Central Bank Act, 2007.

The embattled traditional ruler had received a stern warning from the National Orientation Agency last month for his inappropriate handling of naira notes during his 13th anniversary on the throne.

In response to the video, the Director General of NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, issued a statement directly to the monarch, condemning the act as a violation of the national currency, which carries penalties of imprisonment, fines, or both.