Lagos Government Probes Alleged Assault Of Public Officer By Commissioner For Tourism, Toke Benson

The Lagos State government has announced that it has begun investigating a viral video alleging that the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, assaulted a public officer.

The video, posted on multiple social media platforms, captured the moment when the commissioner had a heated argument with the owner of the firm that manages the J.K. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History, Qudus Onikeku.

The video showed an unidentified man bringing out his mobile phone to make a video of the actions as they unfolded between Benson-Awoyinka and Onikeku.

Minutes after commencing the recording amid the altercation inside the centre, the Commissioner discovered the move and demanded that the man stop recording immediately, expressing her displeasure over the act.

Realising that the presumed staff did not yield to her directive, Benson-Awoyinka ordered the cameraman to leave the premises.

Speaking during an exclusive interview with SaharaReporters on Thursday evening, the commissioner denied assaulting anyone in the viral video.

She narrated that she visited the facility to stop Onikeku from converting the public properties into a food canteen for his wife.

She confirmed that the matter was currently being investigated upon by the Lagos State government for proper actions to be taken.

“The property belongs to the LASG under the Ministry of Tourism. The Lagos State Government is looking into the matter,” she told SaharaReporters.

She continued: “The man gave the museum to his wife as a restaurant. I have a picture of this boy showing where he was violent. This is a museum we just opened that we intend to use for commercial ventures to make money for the Government. Because we made him the GM of the place, he now used his power to give out a portion of the facility to his wife to start selling food. The wife opened the canteen. It is when we went to check, you know the museum is under me as the commissioner for tourism. I went there and challenged him. I told him this facility is not for selling food, it is a commercial venture for the state government.

“I told him to get all his wife's belongings out of the facility, that place is not a multi-billionaire project. I called the security guy to park all the things. The wife kept the gas cylinder and other stuff inside.

“He also has some boys with him (thugs) and those are the boys we said he cannot bring into that place. This was why he kept shouting " No, they can come in. One of his boys started recording and one of the directors in the ministry wanted to take the camera from the guy.”

A press statement issued from her office also reads: “The attention of the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture has been drawn to a viral video circulating on social media regarding an incident at the J.K. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History. It is imperative to set the records straight and clarify the events that led to the said video.

“The Honourable Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka has the statutory responsibility of oversight over all facilities under the Ministry’s purview. In line with this mandate, she embarked on an inspection visit to the J.K. Randle Centre.

“During the inspection, it was discovered that the Centre Director, Qudus Onikeku, was illegally operating a canteen within the premises without the knowledge and approval of the Ministry. This prompted Mrs Benson-Awoyinka to question the presence of the establishment and initiated an eviction which the Centre Director violently resisted and had his team attack officials of the Ministry.

“The non-state actors who are neither recognised by the Lagos State Government nor authorised to attend the meeting, who accompanied the Center Director, barged in, while he ordered them to record the proceedings. This, the Honourable Commissioner objected to. It must be emphasised that recording any meeting without the consent of the presiding authority is unacceptable and a breach of protocol.

“For clarity, Mrs Benson Awoyinka did not assault anyone, instead a senior female member of her team was physically assaulted by the non state actors which then escalated as seen in the viral video depicting a totally false narrative. The video posted ostensibly to blackmail her speaks for itself.

“The Commissioner maintained her stance that unauthorised persons should not participate in the meeting or record its discussions, which is in line with standard administrative procedures.

“An investigation has been ordered into the occurrence and appropriate actions would be taken. The ministry remains committed to upholding transparency, accountability and the efficient management of all its facilities."