Controversy has continued to trail the selection of a new Onu (king) of Abocho in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State.
The name of a new king to succeed the late Chief Tijani Okutachi, which was forwarded to the state governor by the Dekina Local Government Area Traditional Council, has already received approval.
The group, in a series of petitions, alleged that the Eje of Dekina and Chairman, Dekina Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Usman Obaje truncated the process of selecting a new monarch and wrongfully caused Jonah Okai Idris, who, according to them, is not eligible to be forwarded to the office of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as Onu designate.
They alleged that Obaje, alongside 15 beaded chiefs from Dekina, employed underhand tactics, including threatening the five ruling houses to not intervene in the screening process.
Obaje has, however, refused to be drawn into the controversy, saying it is already a subject of litigation.
In a telephone chat with The Nation, Obaje said aside from the matter being in court, it had become an affair for the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
“You cannot find out anything from me. The government has given a letter of appointment to the Onu Abocho designate. Those who are opposed have gone to court, and so, if anyone wants to know anything more about the matter, they should go to the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, or to the commissioner.
Some of the aggrieved contestants later went to court to seek intervention against the presentation of staff of office to the Onu designate.
A spokesperson for the 19 contestants, Anaja Michael stated: “The Chairman of Dekina Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Usmann Obaje truncated the process of selecting the Onu… and threatened the five ruling houses not to intervene as he conducted the screening alongside 15 beaded chiefs from Dekina Local Government Area.
“There was no announcement of the said screaming result, no recommendation letter from the office of the Attah of Igala, but they took the name of Jonah Okai Idris to the office of the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and slotted it into the already prepared list of the upgrading of chiefs signed by Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello.
“The five ruling houses in Abocho met and agreed that it is the turn of Oko Oyi to produce the next Onu Abocho and Oko Oyi has three sub ruling houses, but the Eje of Dekina and his agents do not give the Oko Oyi breathing space to choose from the right ruling house. They went ahead and purportedly orchestrated the announcement of Jonah Okai Idris from Onyebe Okenyi while it is not their turn.”