Ogidan alleged that his ‘sin’ was requesting the commissioner at a meeting on Monday with labour leaders, to give autonomy to the Sports Council, which has been under the Ministry of Sports and Youth, supervised by Olopade.
“But to my surprise, yesterday morning (Tuesday), around a few minutes to 10, he (Olopade) called me and said I should come to his office immediately for a meeting that he wanted to see me,” Ogidan said.
Ogidan further narrated how on getting to the venue, he, along with a few of his colleagues who had accompanied him to the venue, were ushered into an office situated within the stadium.
“On getting to the office, we met some people there including some journalists. Ejiro Omonode of AIT was there, Kunle Oluwusi was there, Biodun Alabi of GTV was equally there,” he recalled.
“The commissioner now confronted me with a text message that was sent to the governor talking about autonomy and said it must have emanated from me. I tried to defend myself by telling him that I have already said what I wanted to say to the governor and I don’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.”
According to Ogidan, Olopade got furious and even threatened to kill him before attacking him in the company of a handful of thugs stationed around the stadium.
‘He hit me on the neck violently, I fell to the floor and I felt a sharp pain in my neck. I told him he had injured me. I stood up and he hit me again in that particular place over and over again,” Ogidan said.
Olopade, however denied beating or instructing any of his aides to beat the coach, but argued that contrary to the claim, it was the coach who was rude to him.
“The coach came for a meeting in my office. 35 people were present during the meeting, including Kashimawo Laloko, Ejiro Omonode, Kunle Oluwusi and other people,” he explained.
“During the discussion, the man became unruly to me and all the people present condemned his disrespectful act. He was castigated and was asked to leave the venue of the meeting. He was not beaten in any way or form,” Olopade said.
“I am surprised that some persons wants to make political capital out of the matter that has been settled. Today, in the presence of Comrade Seyi Adebanjo, the leader of TUC in Ogun, the matter was amicably resolved and the man apologized for his misbehaviour. I want to repeat, the man was not beaten in any way or form,” the commissioner concluded.
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