The lingering kingship crisis threatening peace in the Egbudu-Akah Kingdom, Aniocha South local government area of Delta State, has taken another dimension.
Trouble began when the Delta State government issued Obi Paul Okolie a staff of office and officially gazetted him as the king.
But rising from a recent meeting, prominent leaders from the kingdom, including Diokpa Moses Kelikuma, Diokpa Augustine Elue and Diokpa Enemokwu Adigue have called on the state government to intervene decisively and fairly.
They accused the state government of meddling in traditional affairs and acting without due consultation with the true custodians of Egbudu-Akah’s heritage.
Speaking on behalf of the community, the leaders reaffirmed that the Umu-Illoh Royal family remains the only legitimate royal family in Egbudu-Akah, dismissing the existence of any so-called “Obi Okolie Royal Family” as a fabrication.
According to them, following the death of His Royal Majesty, Obi Okolie I, the then recognized monarch of Egbudu-Akah, on September 30, 2016, the Umu-Illoh Royal Family, as tradition demands, selected and installed Obi Solomon Ogwuagwu I as the rightful king, in full compliance with native laws, customs and traditions.
However, shortly afterward, Mr. Paul Obi Okolie, claiming to be the eldest son of the late Obi Okolie I, controversially declared himself the Obi of Egbudu-Akah Kingdom.
“This self-proclamation sparked legal action, with Suit No. 0/35/2016 filed at the Ogwashi-Uku High Court to resolve the disputed kingship.
Community leaders lamented that while the case was still in court, the Delta State Government bypassed the judicial process by issuing a staff of office to Mr. Paul Obi Okolie and officially gazetted him as the king, a move they described as a violation of tradition and due process.
Despite several petitions sent to the Delta State Government, they alleged that no independent inquiry or consultation was carried out with the elders and custodians of the Egbudu-Akah tradition before recognising Mr. Paul Obi Okolie as king.
Following, Mr. Paul Obi Okolie’s death in 2018, his son, Mr. Augustine Ezeaguna Nzemeke Obi-Okolie, allegedly began parading himself as the Obi of Egbudu-Akah Kingdom.
“The community now fears that the government is poised to repeat the same mistake by issuing a Staff of Office to him.
“The Delta State Government cannot choose a king for Egbudu-Akah,” the community leaders said. “The recent move to install Mr. Augustine Ezeaguna Nzemeke Obi-Okolie is a recipe for deeper crisis, not a solution.”
They declared unequivocally that the community does not recognise Mr. Augustine Obi-Okolie as king and warned that government interference without adherence to tradition would only exacerbate the division within the community.
At present, according to the elders, Egbudu-Akah remains without a king, as the rightful monarch, Obi Solomon Ogwuagwu I, chosen by the Umu-Illoh Royal Family, has not been acknowledged by the state.
They emphasised that until the Obi-Okolie lineage resolves its internal disputes, there can be no consensus or recognition of any monarch from that family, reinforcing that true kingship in Egbudu-Akah must be rooted in custom, not political imposition.
