A fresh communal crisis may be brewing in Okpella, Etsako East local government area as some people from the community including the elderly and the physically challenged carrying placards with various inscriptions on Wednesday protested to Government House and the palace of the Oba of Benin over what they termed as illegal removal of the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella and alleged appointment of a new one whose installation has been fixed for next month.
They also protested using the title His Royal Majesty, which they said is alien to their culture, claiming that His Royal Majesty is the revered appellation for the Oba of Benin.
The protesters were mainly from the Ukhomunyo Community of Okpella who claimed that even though it was their turn to produce the next king, they were not allowed to participate as according to them, it was people from other communities or quarters in Okpella that appointed the new king and at variance with laws on the appointment of the Okuopkallagbe.
At the twilight of Godwin Obaseki’s administration, Lukman Akemokue was appointed the new Okuokpallagbe. Still, it was greeted with protests in some quarters, which led to the current administration of Sen. Monday Okpebholo nullifying the appointment and ordering a fresh process that he said must follow the due process.
The directive led to Michael Sado’s emergence, but the Ukhomunyio people said their kingmakers were excluded from the process.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, a representative of the Ukhomunyio Council of Village Heads, High Chief Julius Ederefo said, “This unfortunate development does not reflect the image of an administration that stands for the rule of law, justice and fairness. We had hoped for a clean break from the unlawful actions of the past,” and appealed to the governor to “cancel the flawed and unlawful process that led to the purported appointment of Michael Sado.
“Direct the Ukhomunyio branch of the Oteku Ruling House, whose turn it is to present an Okuokpellagbe, to convene and commence a process to select a candidate in strict compliance with the declaration’s provisions.”
Ederefo’s position was supported by the President of the Ukhomunyio Youth Association, Comrade Merry Omoalu.
Some protesters’ leaders later met with the governor’s Chief of Staff, Hon Gani Audu, but the parties did not reveal their discussions.
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