Area boys, drummers fight over Amosun’s cash gift in Ogun

The money was given to the drummers by Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

A bundle of naira notes given to some local drummers by the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, on Saturday caused pandemonium between the drummers and street urchins, popularly called area boys.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that the incident occurred at the wedding ceremony of a child of the Olowu of Owu, Adegboyega Dosunmu, held at the Owu Baptist Church, Abeokuta, where the governor and his wife were guests.

The governor, while leaving the church service, was approached by local drummers, who praised him with talking drums; and in response, the governor doled out some cash to them, jumped inside his car, and zoomed off.

Just as the money was given to the drummers, some street urchins already lurking around emerged to also lay claim to the sharing of the money in front of the church entrance.

A scuffle broke out as the drummers refused to share their money with the area boys. The violence saw the two groups attack and pursue themselves around the church premises, while residents of the area watched from a distance.

The limousine car of the Ooni of Ife, Okunade Sijuwade, and vehicles of other personalities at the ceremony was almost smashed during the violence.

Security operatives intervened to prevent the fracas from escalating while one of the drummers, holding on to the cash, was later rescued from inside a vehicle where he was hiding.