Chieftaincy tussle: Kogi elders seek FG, state intervention

A group of elders under the aegis of Concerned Mopa Senior Citizens (CMSC), Kogi, has called on the Federal Government and the state government to intervene in the chieftaincy tussle over the stool of Elulu of Mopa being currently occupied by Chief Muyiwa Ibeun which the CMSC said has resorted to incessant intimidation and threat to life of opponents in the tussle.

Addressing the media in Abuja on Monday, High Chief Michael Ajayi and Elder Reuben Famodile, the acting chairman and a trustee of the CMSC respectively, said Chief Ibeun was installed illegally by Mopa Traditional Council (MTC) in May 2024 in flagrant disregard and breach of the order/injunction of the High Court, Koton Karfe of February 2024 to maintain status quo.

According to High Chief Ajayi, it is the turn of the Patia Ruling House from Iloke community to ascend the stool after three other ruling houses had taken their shot. He said the four ruling houses are Ajerin and Aisan from Odole community and Ilegemo and Patia from Iloke community none of which Ibeun belonged to.

He accused Chief Ibeun of deliberating attempting to rewrite the history of Mopa to fit his narratives and worldview by creating with some of his chiefs the Kingmakers for Mopaland which has never been heard of in the history and traditions of Mopa.

He added that among others, Ibeun unilaterally postponed this year’s Mopa Day celebration, an annual event, which he said has been in existence for 70 years because he (Ibeun) does not feel comfortable with the possible results of the election by the organising committee, renaming and creating the ruling houses in Mopa to suit his narrative.

“We are members of the Concerned Mopa Senior Citizens (CMSC) Kogi State, an organisation duly registered with Mopamuro Local Government Area and the Corporate Affairs Commission in Abuja. Our objectives as an organisation are to uphold the unity, heritage, justice and development of Mopa. In line with our objectives, we observed and monitored with keen interest the recent selection process of the Elulu of Mopa, which was not only faulty but contrary to our tradition for selecting Elulu of Mopa.

“This has generated and is still generating a lot of acrimony, animosity and threat to peace and development of the town. This is an update letter to all Mopa indigenes worldwide widely circulated in the major Nigerian media outlets in which we brought to the attention of Mopa indigenes the happenings in Mopa with regards to the stool of Elulu of Mopa.

“The stool is still in contention and the aggrieved Iloke community is still in High Court, Koton Karfe regarding their right to the stool. The contention is that Chief Muyiwa Ibeun, who is the other party contesting the stool with Iloke community, is not from any of the four ruling houses (Ajerin, Aisan, Ilegemo and Patia) in Mopa and is therefore not entitled to the Elulu stool. We do not have kingmakers in in Mopa what we have are ruling houses. We have four ruling houses and it is turn by turn and this has been going on for more than two centuries.

“If the court rules otherwise we will abide but now we don’t have any Elulu for Mopa. Let it be stated however that we don’t have anything against them but we’ll oppose anything that can derail peace in Mopa or alter our tradition. In view of the ongoing, we members of CMSC are passionately appealing to Kogi State and Federal Government authorities to intervene and investigate the ongoing violations of human rights in Mopa by Chief Ibeun and Mopa Traditional Council (MTC).

“This is necessary to prevent spontaneous reactions that are capable of snowballing into crisis and further confusion in our peace-loving community. Chief Ibeun and MTC are hereby warned to stop what can be construed as obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence and allow court processes to resolve the chieftaincy tussles, ” High Chief Ajayi concluded.