The embattled traditional ruler of Olu-Odu Community in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, Obi Alexander Adigwe, has said that his subjects crowned him king after the death of his father, who was king of Olu-Odu.
It may be recalled that the Delta Government had set up a seven-man judicial panel to look into the lingering Kingship and Land Ownership Disputes within Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom in Aniocha South LGA and its neighbouring communities in the state.
The seven-man judicial panel headed by Justice E.N Emudainowho which started its hearing in Asaba on Nov. 7 is billed to conclude hearing on Nov. 20, 2024.
Adigwe, who in a petition to the Commission of Inquiry on Monday, said that he had applied for recognition but got no approval of the state government before he was made king of Olu-Odu.
He averred that it was not necessary to get a staff of office from state government before becoming a king.
Adigwe, who was being accused of parading himself as a traditional ruler of Olu-Odu, admitted at the sitting of the commission that he never had a staff of office before he was crowned by his people.
According to him, there was no declaration from the state government to Olu-Odo community before his father became king because his people were not civilized then.
He said that the document he had before he ascended to the throne was a declaration from Aniocha South Council which was, however, disproved by the counsel to the Obi of Ogwashi Uku.
Under cross examination by the team of counsel to the defendant, Obi of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, led by G.A.I Mowa; Ikhie Ehighelua; Dr. Judith Jessa; Henry Ogidi, the Obi of Olu-Odu admitted that he had no staff of office.
He said that he wrote to the state government for approval to become a king in 2007 but it was the late Obi of Ogwashi -Uku (Prof.) Chukwuka Okonjo who frustrated and stopped him.
Adigwe affirmed that he did not make himself a king but it was his people that did, adding that his late father who was also crowned in 1975 never had a staff of office.
“The intimidation from the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku was too much, that is why I put up a letter to the state government for recognition.
“My father was crowned in 1975 and died 1999. That time, staff of office was not introduced,” he stated.
The defendant and counsel to the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, Obi Ifechukwude Okonjo II, said that Adigwe knew fully well that Olu-Odu was and has remained part and parcel of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom and that he (Adigwe) should stop parading himself as the Obi of Olu-Odu.
Again they argued that since Adigwe has not been given a staff of office by the state government or any other body, that he should stop parading as the Obi of Olu-Odu.
According to Ikhide and Ogidi the Western Region Law of 1952 annexed Olu-Odu as part of Ogwashi-Uku and the Intelligence report of 1935 listed it as the 18th village in Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom.
Ogidi argued that the petitioner does not have any staff of office as king of Olu-Odu and as such does not possess any right to sell community land.
“All the subsequent governments since 1934 refused to recognise Olu-Odu as a community and not late Obi Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo or the current Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, Obi Ifechukwde Okonjo,” Ogidi said.
However, Counsel to Olu-Odu , Lawrence Egodike, had argued that the community was not part of the communities listed among the communities in Ogwashi-Uku kingdom.
He argued that the Olu-Odu community has been independent and that in 2007, late Obi of Ogwashi Uku kingdom, Prof Chukwuka Okonjo trespassed on the community claiming that it was part of Ogwashi Uku .
Egodike, stated that it was in 2016 that the Obi of Ogwashi Uku , for the first time, brought a suit challenging Alexander Adigwe as the Obi of Olu-Odu, an issue, he said, “is still being contested in court.”
The counsel said that it was when oil was discovered in Olu-Odu that the then Obi of Ogwashi Uku started battling with the traditional ruler of Olu-Odu.
Egodike insisted that Olu-Odu is an autonomous community and not part of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom.
Also at the sitting, petitioners from Otulu community sought the relief for the panel to grant Otulu the right to become an autonomous community.
They argued that they were born and have lived there all their life even when their parents migrated to settle in Otulu from other communities around Delta state.
One of the petitioners, Mr Chukwuma Akoka for the Otulu community, while under cross examination, denied seeing any state gazette linking Otulu to Ogwashi-Uku.
He also denied knowledge of government approving any king for Otulu or being aware of a high court judgement empowering Ogwashi-Uku king to confer the tittle of Okwubani on Otulu.
Okoka, however, admitted that one Francis Mogbolu has been parading himself as traditional ruler of Otulu.
Dr Jessa, Counsel to the Okwubani of Otulu, argued that Otulu was a farm settlement and an part of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom and not an autonomous community.
She argued that the petitioners were sojourns in Otulu who should return home as farmers, adding that the Petitioners never had the courage to challenge the leadership of (Okwubani) appointment made by the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku over Otulu community in courts.
The panel billed to conclude hearing on Wednesday, Nov. 20, said it was a fact finding commission which required critical evidences and documentation to ensure peaceful resolution of the rifts arising from the impacting communities in the state.(NAN)
