The Nation Newspaper

Tag: kingship

  • Tension as another kingship crisis rocks Ekiti

    Tension as another kingship crisis rocks Ekiti

    There is tension in Erijiyan-Ekiti in Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti State as the government is expected to name the Olohan (monarch) today.

    Armed policemen and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) are keeping vigil in the community to check the restive residents, who are aggrieved that “a candidate who is not qualified to be king is to be imposed on them”.

    It was gathered yesterday that one of the candidates, Adegoroye Omosebi, reportedly won an election conducted by 10 of the 13 kingmakers.

    Barring any last-minute change, Omosebi is expected to be named after the State Executive Council meeting today.

    Two kingmakers, who decried the government’s alleged meddlesomeness, abstained from voting.

    But many indigenes are claiming that Omosebi is a native of Ilesa and not Erijiyan. They alleged that he is not from any of the three ruling houses.

    A palace source claimed that Omosebi’s grandfather was from Ilesa but lived in the Olohan palace until he died and was buried at Erijiyan.

    The three ruling houses are Odundun, Agunsoye and Ogbegun.

    But Omosebi claims he belongs to the Agunsoye ruling house.

    The last Olohan of Erijiyan, Oba Jonathan Olufemi, who died in December 2013, was from the Odundun ruling house.

    Many aggrieved residents had been protesting since Saturday, warning the government against re-enacting the “Ikere magic” in their community.

    They were apparently referring to the drama, leading to the emergence of the Ogoga of Ikere, Adejimi Adu Alagbado, who was installed and presented with a certificate and staff of office on July 6, when he was yet to undergo traditional rites.

    Security arrangements are being supervised by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Aramoko-Ekiti, who has been detailed to Erijiyan to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

    A source said: “Omosebi is not from Erijiyan and he is not from any of the ruling houses here.

    “His grandfather was from Ilesa and he lived in the palace till he died in Erijiyan.

    “Governor Ayo Fayose held a meeting at the weekend with stakeholders on the Olohan of Erijiyan stool, where we suspected that he wanted to try the coercion of Ikere but the people said no.

    “He told the kingmakers to come back yesterday with the name of a candidate.

    “During the meeting, an unruly candidate was ordered out by the governor and later allowed in.

    “During the meeting, a 75-year-old lawyer observed that the governor’s coercive manner, if allowed to go unchallenged, would lead to wrong choice of candidate.

    “The lawyer, Emmanuel Adedeji Ilori, challenged the governor that if he imposes somebody on the people, he (Adedeji) would challenge it in court.

    “The governor replied the old man that he (Fayose) had opened the courts and that those aggrieved are free to go there.

    “Fayose said they would still be on the matter by the time his administration ends its tenure.”

  • Kingship tussle tears Anambra community apart

    Kingship tussle tears Anambra community apart

    Alor, the once-peaceful community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State has, been engulfed in turmoil over the certificate of recognition issued to one of the contenders to the traditional throne by the state government. In this interview with NWANOSIKE ONU, Chief Benson Chinedu Igwe speaks on the state government’s role in the crisis among other issues. Excerpts

    What is the cause of the crisis that has lingered since 2012?

    Alor community comprises two traditional sections, namely: Ezi and Ifite. Ezi section is made up of three villages: Umuoshi, Etiti and Ebenesi-Okebunoye while Ifite is made up of three villages also namely Uruezeani, Ide and Umuokwu.

    The traditional stool of the community rotates between the Ezi and Ifite sections. The procedure for ascending the throne is contained in the Constitution of Alor Peoples’ Convention. But the constitution is not being followed in the current issue. Before the kingship position is occupied, a democratically elected town union government has to be in place and will comprise former members of Igwe-in-Council, (now: the Regency Council, which is 18 traditional Ichies from the 18 kindred units in Alor; one Idi Alo from each kindred unit, hononary chieftaincy title holders; three elected delegates (two men and one woman) from each kindred, one representative of each of the branches of Alor Development Union (ADU) throughout the federation, Chairman and Secretary of Nze na Ozo Council, among others.

    If you add up all these, you will have between 130 to 140 individuals from Alor community who would be saddled with the responsibility of selecting our traditional ruler in accordance with our town union constitution.

    Second, after the one year mourning period for our late traditional ruler, the President-General of Alor community would convene a general meeting of the town and announce the vacant kingship position.

    When this is done, the section that qualifies to produce the next king will present its candidate to the general meeting of Alor Peoples’ Convention for screening. After the person is passed the screening, then he would be declared the Igwe-elect of Alor community by the Convention and not the 12-man caretaker committee. Thereafter, the town union government would kick-start arrangements for the coronation of the new king (Igwe).

    After the coronation, the President-General and the town union executive, the newly installed traditional ruler with his cabinet would then go for presentation of the new Igwe to the State Government and then the Governor, satisfied that due process was followed and the general acceptance of the Igwe by the community would issue the new Igwe with the certificate of recognition.

    Unfortunately, this is not the case in my community.

    Instead of adhering to the so-called term of reference, by putting in place a democratically elected town union government, the caretaker committee resorted to selection of the new traditional ruler, and that exposed their clandestine and malignant activities.

    Therefore, I have been denied of my right as a contestant to the throne.

    How can the screening committee declare a boy whose father is still alive Igwe? This is abomination and a taboo in Igbo land. Would he be addressed as Igwe and his father addressed as prince?

    As if this is not enough, the Caretaker Committee hurriedly forwarded Mr. Chinedu Okonkwo’s name to the state government as the Igwe-Elect and Governor Willie Obiano quickly issued certificate of recognition to him, even as he is yet to be presented to the people for acceptance or otherwise and subsequent coronation by the community.

    As far as the community is concern, we have no Igwe at the moment. It is not certificate that makes somebody Igwe of his community; it is the members of the community that crowns somebody their Igwe. Thereafter, certificate of recognition may follow, not the other way around as is the case in Alor community.

    How helpful has the Abuja-based man in Abuja been to the community?

    The Abuja-based member of the community has been of great help to the community in various ways, of which we appreciate. But our community no longer knows peace. They are playing politics with the fate of Alor people. They usually allege that those against the imposition of the caretaker committee and their misdeeds are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who are supporters of Senator Chris Ngige.

    That’s what they told the Governor. But everybody knows me as a contented businessman. I have no affiliation with any political party or politician. I am neither a member of the APC, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nor the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). I am equally not a fan of Ngige.

    I’m afraid God may be angry with our Abuja brother because it appears he uses his God-given position to mistreat vulnerable and the downtrodden in the community.

    It is wrong before God to pitch brothers and sisters against one another in the guise of helping them. If you want to help people, help them to the Glory of God.

    What should be done for peace to reign in the community once again?

    What will bring peace and normalcy to our community would be to follow due process in the selection the king of the community. The members of the caretaker committee should be impartial in the discharge of their duties.

    Whoever emerges the Igwe- elect, we shall support. Things must be done the right way, especially serious matter such as choosing a traditional ruler for a community, which must be done in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

    If I lose in the process, I will support the winner. But if this unconstitutional act is allowed to continue, it is capable of splitting the community into two with two separate traditional rulers.

    Just recently, about five Catholic Priests of Alor origin, led by Rev. Fr Marius Obiagwu initiated a peace move.

    Not satisfied with the actions of the caretaker committee, I have taken the matter to court. I took the action because I know there will not be peace without justice and truth.

  • Bayelsa community in disarray over kingship tussle

    Fear has enveloped Agrisaba, a rural community in Nembe Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, after the September 13 violence that erupted in the area.

    Thugs invaded a meeting organised by the community’s council of chiefs and in what many people described as desecration of tradition, descended on the traditional rulers with blows, horse whips and other weapons. They created panic in the community.

    Desperate to save their lives, the community’s Regent, Chief Sampson Awudulu and other chiefs abandoned the assembly and ran to different directions for safety. While some ran to Yenagoa, others fled to Port Harcourt in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    In fact, there is no doubt that things have fallen apart in a fishing and farming Agrisaba, which is under the Mini-Ikensi Rural Development Authority. Some persons have traced the trouble in the community to crude oil.

    They argued that before crude oil was struck in commercial quantity in the community by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, the area which was administered by a king and his council of chiefs was known for its peace and quietness.

    Nothing was known about its kingship and political transition. No outsider including the state government was interested in the affairs of the community.

    But, oil and its gains have changed the story of Agrisaba. The once peaceful community had gradually descended to chaos. The kingship stool has surprisingly become a cash cow. All eyes are now on the stool and the government appears to have developed much interest in the leadership of the community.

    The recent lingering controversies started with the emergence of a new king in the community. After many months of politicking and maneuvering that allegedly bore the stamp of the office of the deputy governor of he state, one Means Samuel Walter was declared the king of the community.

    But the Agrisaba Council of Chiefs, a body with constitutional powers of a kingmaker, disagreed with the process that enthroned Walter. They believe that like a house with a weak foundation, Walter’s rule will not stand the test of time. The opposing chiefs will not address Walter as their king.

    Initially, 15 out of the 18 members of the council including Awudulu, have maintained that the king was imposed on the community by the state government. They claimed that the promoters of the new king abandoned the community’s tradition and constitution to foist their preferred candidate on the rural people.

    Shortly after he was crowned the king, Walter asked the unhappy chiefs to take their case to the court insisting that he emerged through the laid down procedure and tradition.

    But, aggrieved chiefs had through many documents and letters, including litigation tried in vain to stop the election. They have not relented even after Walter was crowned a king. They are still fighting a cause they believe in. In fact, they had gone back to the court. On September 13, they met in the community.

    Awudulu told Niger Delta Report why they decided to meet despite the tension in the community. He said: “The constitution and tradition required the holding of meeting quarterly by members in the community.”

    But, he claimed that they scheduled the meeting after notifying the police and the Joint Task Force (JTF) codenamed Operation Pulo Shield. He said the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hillary Opara, approved the meeting and deployed 15 mobile policemen in the area.

    The regent, however, lamented that the police disappeared from the area when the hooligans stormed their meeting. He accused the police of conspiracy and said one of their injured chiefs, Denis Otiotio Odoni was arrested by the police after the incident.

    He raised the alarm that their “lives are in danger”. He appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to intervene and rescue them from alleged gang-up between the police in the state and some agents of the state government.

    He said: “We the members of the council of chiefs wrote a letter to the Commissioner of Police for permission and protection during the meeting based on our desire to maintained law and order.

    “The Commissioner of Police graciously granted the approval of the meeting and deployed 15 mobile police men to the community. The JTF commandant in charge of Nembe was also notified and deployed his men to the community.

    “It is sad and worrisome that the police men ran away with the speedboat abandoning their responsibility to maintain law and order. The chiefs were attacked in the presence of the police without them intervening.

    “The chiefs and some of the youths were injured and, to be specific, Chief Denis Otiotio Odoni and Chief William Beredugo Ginah were injured during the attack.

    “Is the Bayelsa state police command meant to be used to settle traditional and political difference in the state?

    “We the council of chiefs wish to inform the general public that the same police commissioner that deployed the policemen and also gave approval has arrested Chief Odoni , a victim of the attack. He has been detained based on spurious allegation that he and the chiefs were setting up a new PDP.

    “This is part of the orchestrated effort to pitch the chiefs against the President and the governor. Let us state for record purpose that the Chief Awudul is the assistant publicity secretary of the party in the state and participated actively in the press briefing by the party executive held on the 12th of September 2013 to dispel the story making round that there is a splinter group of PDP in the state of Bayelsa.

    “We condemn the action of the police and demand the immediate and unconditional release of the Chief Odoni which health is deteriorating as a result of the pains and injury he sustained and the inhuman condition he is been subjected to.

    “The Bayelsa State Police Command has persistently and consistently refused to grant him bail since Friday that he was arrested. The Bayelsa police command has no right to detain a citizen of Nigeria for an alleged offence that is bailable.”

    But, Opara told the chiefs not to involve the police in chieftaincy tussle, adding that the police only intervened to maintain law and order in the community.

    “The police are not kingmakers. There is already a king in the community and if they don’t like the process that brought him to power, they should go to court and challenge him.

    “Why are they directing their efforts to the police? We didn’t ask them to go there and fight. They shouldn’t drag us into chieftaincy tussle,”he said.

    He said persons involved in the fracas had been identified and arrested. He added that Odoni was among the suspects arrested, adding that the police had filed a matter in the court against them.

    He said the 15 policemen who were deployed in the community were sourced illegally by the chiefs adding that the command had commenced disciplinary action against the policemen.

    He said: “Those who were involved in the fracas have been arrested and charged to court. The case has been filed in the court and the court will serve him.

    “When the crisis started and the king there inaugurated, I was not there. The chiefs collected the policemen somewhere in Yenagoa here. Those policemen are in trouble and we are already taking disciplinary action against them.”

     

  • Port Harcourt kingship dispute continues

    Worried by the controversial crowning of two contenders for the throne of Eze Apara Rebisi, also known as the monarch of Port Harcourt, another contender, Eze Emeka Anyagbulem, has returned to court over the disputed kingship.

    Speaking with The Nation yesterday in Port Harcourt, Anyagbulem said there could not be two kings for one stool, adding that the action of the duo, who were crowned as king, amounted to contempt of court as there was a subsisting suit challenging such actions.

    Said he: “Besides that there can’t be two kings for one throne, it is untenable that while a suit (NO PHC/1818/2013) is pending, two persons, namely Prince Victor Woluchem and Uche Isaac Elikwu of Oro-Olozu lineage, crowned themselves as Eze-Epara Rebisi and Paramount Ruler of Port Harcourt.