December 24, (THEWILL) – Standup comedian and actor, Okechukwu Anthony Onyegbule, popularly known as Okey Bakassi, has narrated a distressing account of how he was assaulted at a wedding event in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Narrating his ordeal, Okey Bakassi stated that the young men attacked him after he allegedly told them to allow a free flow of wedding photographs.
Okey Bakassi stated that guests present intervened and thanked the men of the Department of State Services (DSS) for their swift response.
He also stated that while he would allow the police to do their job, there’s no way he wouldn’t get justice.
“Something happened to me today that I have not experienced in the whole 30 years of being a professional Master of Ceremony and in the entertainment industry.
“I was invited to Mc an event in Owerri, Imo State. While doing my job, it was time for the celebrant to cut the cake. After cutting the cake, I invited people to snap pictures.
“They were coming in batches and as we took photographs, we made way for other people to take pictures.
“Some sets of young men came to take pictures, finished taking pictures and engaged the celebrant and they were discussing. I simply called their attention to step aside so that other people could continue the flow of the photo section, that was the only interaction I had with them.
“The set of things that followed, first was a threat, ‘Do you want something to happen to you in this Owerri?’ It was uncalled for. As an MC, my role was to make sure the event was running smoothly.
“When I saw his reaction, I knew he was calling for a fight, so I stepped aside.
“It looked like these young men were boiling for a fight. They shoved me on their way out. I didn’t utter a word. In my professional training, I was not trained to go into altercations with somebody at an event like that.
“I was busy attending to another guest when one of them attacked me from behind. It took other guests, restraining them and taking them out of the event.
“I know we live in dangerous times but I will get justice, I will find them. Thank God for the quick response of the Imo State Director of DSS and the men of the DSS who came to escort me back to my hotel after the event.
“Nobody knows what plans they had and what would have happened but I will let the police do their job, there’s no way I won’t get justice. I look for nobody trouble but for somebody to assault me just in the cause of doing my job, I will definitely get justice.”
Ivory Ukonu is a versatile journalist with many years of experience, with entertainment and society reporting as her area of core competence.
