From WOLE BALOGUN, Ado-Ekiti
ITS history, culture and tradition are very distinct. Its features and location are equally striking, making Alade, a sleepy community in Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State, a town to behold.
Alade is one of the communities that make up Idanre kingdom. It was founded as recently as 1928. The town is distinguished due to the history of its foundation as all its indigenes are Christians.
No other religion exists in the town. This is because the founder of the town was a prominent Christian leader in the area. Only Christians are natives. There are no Mosques or other traditional worship centres.
Located in a serene environment, the town links Akure, the state capital with Idanre where the popular Idanre Hill is located. There is no way one can get to Idanre Hill without passing through Alade. It is one of the towns that make up Idanre land. It is centrally placed among other communities surrounding Idanre.
According to the traditional ruler of the town, the Aladeokun of Alade, Oba Olusegun Ayodele Akinbola, the town was founded by Pa John Akinbola, who incidentally was his paternal grandfather after a crisis between Christians and Muslims at whole occupants in the house, including the suspect, Gbenga Adebayo, were searching for her. That continued till June 29, when my sister from Akure called to tell me that the girl was brought to her by a man whom she identified as the same Gbenga Adebayo. It was then we suspected a foul play.
“We reasoned that if indeed Adebayo was sincere, he cannot be the same man who was part of the search team for the girl for three weeks here in Ado-Ekiti and also be the one who would take her to my sister’s place in Akure after finding her. We reported the case to the police who promptly arrested Adebayo and charged him to court. Last Friday, the Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti remanded him in prison.”
Confirming the development, Ekiti State Police Public Relations Offcer, Alberto Adeyemi, said the suspect was arraigned with charges of defilement leveled against him.