Why traditional ruler, two others bagged death sentence in 1938

In the times past, traditional rulers in Yorubaland were known to have
wielded enormous powers. The belief then was that the King could do no wrong. The King was highly revered and considered to be next to the gods.This was the situation in those days in many communities including Igboora, a sleepy town in the old Western Nigeria, the present day Oyo State.

However, about 78 years ago to be precise, the Baale of Igboora known as Adefemi had abused his powers in his domain by setting fire to the
dwelling house of one of his subjects. Due to this barbaric act, a life was lost. It was an abuse of the Baale’s wide discretionary power. This eventually led to his trial and conviction along with two of his messengers by an Ibadan High Court.

The issue arose from an allegation of an illicit affair with a housewife levelled against one Agboola Shitta, a native of Abeokuta, who resided in the community. Shitta admitted that indeed sometimes in 1933, he seduced the wife of one Adegoke, who was the son of the Balogun of Pako near Igboora. The Baale of Pako was a member of the
Native Court of Igboora over which the Baale of Igboora presided.

As a result of the seduction, Shitta became very unpopular with the Baale of Pako, and with other village heads who sat along with theBaale of Igboora in the Igboora Native Court. The Baale of Igboora felt this was an abomination and with the concurrence of other Baaleshe ordered Shitta’s expulsion from the community.

Shitta left the town in consequence of the expulsion but eventually resurfaced early in the morning on March 18, 1937. The man said his return was authorised by the District Office in Ibadan, in whose district Igboora was at that time.

March 18, 1937 was a court day in Igboora Native Court. The nine members of the court and the litigants assembled as usual. On the arrival of other members of the court, they were informed of the
development. This infuriated Baale Adefemi of Igboora, the Baale of Pako and that of Iberekodo and some others to such an extent that they could not attend to any of the court work that morning.
They had a discussion with some members in the Court retiring room and then asked the Native Court clerk to prepare a warrant for Shitta’s arrest. But the warrant could not be prepared because no proper charge was alleged against

In the times past, traditional rulers in Yorubaland were known to have
wielded enormous powers. The belief then was that the King could do no wrong. The King was highly revered and considered to be next to the gods.This was the situation in those days in many communities including Igboora, a sleepy town in the old Western Nigeria, the present day Oyo State.

However, about 78 years ago to be precise, the Baale of Igboora known as Adefemi had abused his powers in his domain by setting fire to the
dwelling house of one of his subjects. Due to this barbaric act, a life was lost. It was an abuse of the Baale’s wide discretionary power. This eventually led to his trial and conviction along with two of his messengers by an Ibadan High Court.

The issue arose from an allegation of an illicit affair with a housewife levelled against one Agboola Shitta, a native of Abeokuta, who resided in the community. Shitta admitted that indeed sometimes in 1933, he seduced the wife of one Adegoke, who was the son of the Balogun of Pako near Igboora. The Baale of Pako was a member of the
Native Court of Igboora over which the Baale of Igboora presided.