Thirty-six cows were found dead in mysterious circumstances at Oke Owa Hill in Ijare in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State. The traditional ruler of the community, Olujare of Ijare, Oba Adebamigbe Oluwagbemigun, tells PETER DADA about the incident as he explains some of the mysteries
When were you crowned as the monarch of Ijare ?
I ascended the throne of my forefathers about 22 years ago. Ijare came from Ilare Quarters, Ile-Ife, (Osun State).
accompanied by four thunderstorms that (Saturday) night. I was in the sitting room at the palace watching television when the rain started. The thunderstorms were very fierce. The last one came with strong lightning and a tremendous sound. Everyone was scared, even in the palace here. I knew that something must have happened somewhere as the lightning was very fierce and bright. So in the early hours of Sunday after the rains, someone in the community, who had gone to check his trap around the area, ran to the palace to report what he saw there. When he came into the palace, he was trembling and he took a while before he could say what he saw.
Some people have been talking about the sacredness of the Oke Owa land where the cows were found dead?
Oke Owa (Owa Mountain) is a sacred place for people from the community. I had never heard of such a thing since I was enthroned as the oba. This one is a peculiar one. It has never happened before. It is not a place that anyone can just walk into. I go there once a year and come back the following morning. Anytime I go there, the whole community will be on the ground to welcome me back.