The Sun News On-line|Abuja Reports

The Chairman of Obat Petroleum, Prince Fredrick Obateru, has raised an alarm alleging threat to his life over his interest in vying for the position of Oba of Ugbo in Ondo State. But he said no amount of threat can dissuade him from sitting on the traditional stool of his fore-fathers. It will be recalled that early last month, he was attacked by some youths in his home town.

“It is a known fact that I am one of those who are interested in becoming the traditional ruler of my town, Ugbo. This is the main reason why my opponents are waging war against me thinking that that would make me chicken out of the race. “I must tell you all that has failed.

This is because I would not drop my ambition just because of their shameless intimidation. I can never be intimidated. I am a prince of the town and by birth, I am a member of the ruling house and therefore qualified to aspire to the position of king,” Prince Obateru said.

He however admitted he was not interested in the throne until the ruling of the court that nullified the appointment and installation of the former monarch of the town, Prince Adebanjo Mafimisebi on January 12, 2007. “I was not interested in the position until that landmark judgment. I was not a party to the case that removed the former ruler. In fact, it was the father of my accuser, Most Revd. Kene Ogunfeyimi who funded the case before he died he 1996,” he revealed. According to him, he was attacked on his way to go and pay respects at the tomb of his late parents, a practice he has kept annually since they died.

“I like to add here that I did not allow my security men to molest the hoodlums because I knew it could degenerate into a serious crisis. Rather than fire a shot, my security details were even pacifying them to sheathe their swords. None of my security details fired any shot. So, the claim that I and my security details molested the hoodlums was unfounded,” he claimed, adding that the police men attached to him were duly obtained from the police authorities. “I was not given the police because of the crisis in Ugbo. I was robbed several times sometimes ago and that made me to appeal to the police high command and don’t forget that there are several unresolved murder cases in the country. I don’t want my case to be one of them,” he explained.

He called on the Federal Government to set up a high powered panel of inquiry to look into the remote and immediate causes of the crisis with a view to finding a lasting solution before there is break down of law and order in the community. He therefore called on the Federal Government to set up a high powered judicial panel of inquiry to look at the crisis rocking the community with the aim of putting a stop at it and also arrest its perpetrators.