Withdraw staff of office from Ese Ubabiri, Egbema traditional council tells Okowa

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta

The Egbema Traditional Council and kingmakers of Egbema kingdom have called on the Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to withdraw the staff of office given to Mr Meshack Ubabiri as the new Agadagba of Egbema kingdom in Warri North Local Government Area.

Meshack Ubabiri, Bini Pere IV, the Agadagba of the Egbema kingdom was recently given a staff of office by the deputy governor of Delta State, Kingsley Otuaro.

The new monarch, after receiving the staff of office, called for peace and tranquility in Egbema kingdom, promising inclusiveness.

However, shortly after the ceremony, the Egbema Traditional Council/Kingmakers alleged in a petition that Governor Okowa handed over a staff of offíce to someone who was not selected and endorsed by the Ogbudugbudu Ruling House, the Egbema Traditional Council/ Kingmakers and the Warri North Local Government Area chairman.

The traditional council/Kingmakers, in the petition, described Okowa’s action as a taboo which runs contrary to the spirit and letter of the Egbema Traditional Council gazette.

The kingmakers made their grouse known in the petition addressed to the state governor and signed by Chief David Makaraba Bubor, the Torupuwei of Egbema kingdom/Chairman Egbema Traditional Council and many others.

Chief Simeon Igbedikuru, the Pere Koriwei of Egbema kingdom, Chief William lgbiriki, Isomunweniwei of Egbema kingdom, Chief Joseph Owilly, the Funpuwei of Egbema kingdom, Chief Lucky Tiemo and Chief Newton Tiemo, among others.

Part of the petition reads: “We the Egbema Traditional Council/Kingmakers wish to make it clear that we are not in support of the presentation of staff of offíce which was given to Mr Meshack Ese Ubabiri as the royal father of Egbema kingdom.

“We call on Senator Okowa, to withdraw the staff of offíce given to Mr Ubabiri as the Agadagba of Egbema kingdom and set up a panel of inquiry because the decision by the state government to subvert the will of Egbema people and to completely destroy the long existing Traditional Council of Chiefs of Egbema kingdom/presentation staff of office to the wrong candidate is an invitation to anarchy as it is against the four pillars of peace, justice, equity and fairness.”

The kingmakers pointed out that the Warri North Local Government Area chairman, Smart Yomi Asekutu, in line with due process, officially recommended the name of Napoleon Egin as the Agadagba-elect to the Offíce of the Directorate of Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs for the purpose of presentation of staff of offíce.

The Egbema Traditional Council/Kingmakers added that before taking such a vital decision, the governor ought to have set up a panel of inquiry to unravel the truth.

“We are indeed, dismayed and astonished that the Egbema Traditional Council/King makers who have their chieftaincy certificates issued by the Delta State government were sidelined as the people who carried out the presentation of staff of office on January 19 relied on impostors to handle such a sensitive matter capable of jeopardising the well-being of Egbema kingdom, which denotes the denial of the heir apparent of Egbema kingdom by the state government,” the Egbema kingmakers noted.

The Egbema chiefs, who emphasised the need to reverse the decision restated that: “We request that you reconsider your decision for the sake of peace and justice because following the way you made your decision, it means that anybody can make anybody a monarch in any kingdom in Delta State.”

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