Fresh Kingship Crisis Rocks Okpella Community
A fresh crisis is unfolding in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, following a controversial declaration by a group of local leaders claiming the Okuokpellagbe stool is currently vacant.
The group, identified as the Itsogwa, Egah/Igbidegwa, reportedly pronounced the traditional seat of Okuokpellagbe of Okpella vacant, a move that has been met with strong resistance from the Palace of the Okuokpellagbe.
Supporting the declaration, a faction under the name Ukhomuyio Concerned Citizens commended the action, asserting that the recent installation of HRH Mike Sado as the Okuokpellagbe was illegitimate. The group alleged that due process was not followed during the selection and installation, and therefore they do not recognise him as their traditional ruler.
Addressing the media in Benin City, a leader of the group, Moses Izeokhe, claimed that the letter of appointment which HRH Mike Sado holds was “procured” and therefore invalid. He further alleged that elders and chiefs who opposed the current leadership were being threatened with suspension, arrest, or the stripping of their traditional titles.
The group also raised accusations of mismanagement of communal lands, alleging that lands in the Imioko/Imiokpe area were sold without the knowledge or consent of the people, and that proceeds were allegedly deposited into a private account.
ALSO READ: May Yul-Edochie Demands Justice Over Cyberbullying
Citing historical affidavits from late community leaders, Chief Giwa Inamudu and Chief Felix Kadiri Sado, the group reiterated that all communal lands in Okpella are traditionally owned by kindreds, not by individuals.
In response, the Secretary to the Palace of the Okuokpellagbe, Barrister Akuri Afegbua, dismissed the group’s claims as false and baseless. He insisted that the kingship stool is not vacant and that HRH Mike Sado was lawfully installed in accordance with the Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Law, specifically Section 20(3) of the 1979 Traditional Rulers Edict of the defunct Bendel State, which remains applicable in Edo State.
Afegbua stated:
“All these claims are complete falsehoods. As a prince of this kingdom, I can confirm that the king was duly installed and is ruling without any legal obstacle. Anyone claiming otherwise is simply a dissident.”
He warned that under the applicable law, any individual who challenges the legitimacy of a traditional ruler after the issuance of a staff of office and official gazette by the state government is committing a criminal offence, punishable by three years imprisonment without the option of a fine.
While tensions continue to rise within the community, both factions appear to be standing firm, setting the stage for what could become a prolonged legal and traditional battle over the rightful occupant of the Okuokpellagbe stool.
Content Credit: Ohidah Oluwaferanmi
Image Credit: Vanguard News.com
