Ogun: Commissioner beats coach

Posted by admin Headlines, Ogun, State News Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

A coach in the Ogun State Ministry of Sports and Youths Development, Mr. Olakunle Ogidan, has been battered, allegedly by a serving commissioner in the state.

Ogidan, who is currently recuperating at the state hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta, said he was beaten by the Commissioner for Sports, Mr. Bukola Olopade.

Our correspondent gathered that Ogidan, a Judo coach, allegedly incurred the wrath of the commissioner in the process of requesting for autonomy for sports council in the state in a meeting between the commissioner and labour leaders in the commissioner’s office.

“My sin was because I canvassed for the autonomy of the Sports Council, I was lured into the meeting, where I was molested. The commissioner confronted me with a text message that was sent to the governor where I talked about autonomy and said it must have emanated from me.

“I tried to defend myself by telling him that I had already said what I wanted to say to the governor and I didn’t need to send any text message, moreover, there was no name on it that indicated that I was the one that sent it,” Ogidan explained.

He added, “At this stage, the commissioner descended on me with the assistance of some of his boys who mercilessly beat me. When he started to hit me on the neck violently I felt a sharp pain in my neck. I said I’m injured because I was on the floor. I stood up and he hit me again in that particular place again over and over.

“The commissioner was also aided by his boys and they continued to beat me as if they were given the job to make sure I was killed. I was on the floor and as they were kicking me, they were shouting that I should stand up. I stood up and fell down but by then, my left shoulder had already been dislocated and my neck was in pain. I later stood up; some of the people in the room now pull them away from me.”

But Olopade, who reacted through the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Mr. Adegbenro Adebanjo, denied the allegations.

He said, “Yesterday, the said coach came for a meeting in my office, 35 people were present during the meeting, including some coaches and other personalities.”

“During the discussion, the man became unruly to me and all the people present. His disrespectful act was castigated and he was asked to leave the venue of the meeting. He was not beaten in any way or form. I am surprised that some people want to make politics out of the matter that had already been settled.

“Today, in the presence of the leader of TUC in Ogun, the matter was amicably resolved and the man apologised for his misbehaviour. I want to repeat the man was not beaten in any way or form.”

-Punchwp_posts