Okpella community protests governor’s appointment of new king

Tension rose in the Okpella community of Edo State on Saturday after Governor Godwin Obaseki appointed Lukman Akemokhue as the new Okuogbellagbe of Okpella.

Community leaders, elders, and people protested the appointment, describing it as an imposition that violates long-standing customs.

The protest began a day after the Edo State Government officially handed Akemokhue a letter of appointment from the Ministry of Local Government.

Monday Osaigbovo, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, signed and handed the document, which validated Akemokhue’s appointment as approved by the State Executive Council, effective September 26, 2024.

Osaigbovo stated, “In the light of the above, action has been taken for publication of your appointment in the state gazette.”

The state government expressed optimism about the development, with Osaigbovo remarking, “It is expected that the people of Okpella will be happy, and development will be rapid following the installation of the new king.”

In his acceptance speech, Akemokhue thanked the state government and other stakeholders engaged, including security services and Okpella kingmakers.

“I thank the state government, the security agencies, the Okpella kingmakers, and the people of Okpella for this opportunity to serve as their traditional ruler,” he said.

However, by Saturday, unrest had spread across Okpella.

The announcement of Akemokhue’s appointment triggered demonstrations, with community leaders and traditional elders condemning the move and requesting the governor to reconsider his position.

They claimed that the appointment contradicted their traditions and could lead to a crisis in the community.

The demonstration was headed by prominent community leader Abu Abdulganiyu, who accused Obaseki of wanting to impose a monarch on the people of Okpella.

“These actions are an affront to our heritage,” Abdulganiyu stated.

“The traditional stool is not a tool for political bartering or compensation, and its sanctity must be respected. We have a king, and we know who we want. Obaseki can’t impose a king on us when he has few weeks to leave office,” he added.

Abdulganiyu had previously warned against any attempt to install a “political monarch,” stressing that such a move would be resisted by the people of Okpella.

“Any attempt to foist a political monarch on the community would be resisted,” he had said.

The demonstration was also supported by other renowned members of the community. High Chief Kasshim Otaru, the Otaru of the Iddo community and a revered guardian of Okpella traditions denounced Obaseki’s last-minute decision, claiming that it violated their norms.

“According to Okpella traditions, the community, not outsiders like Obaseki, chooses its kings through established procedures,” Otaru emphasised.

Kassim Afegbua, a former Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, joined the protest with a sharply worded statement.

Afegbua accused the governor of disregarding customary selection procedures, suggesting that Obaseki’s choice could spark community conflict.

“In a last-minute ditch, Governor Obaseki, the owner of ‘Tigers and Lions,’ is trying to impose kings on some communities as a farewell package,” Afegbua said.

He continued, “Governor Obaseki has not only destroyed our traditional institution, but he has also balkanized it. The news we are hearing from government quarters on Friday is that one Lukman Akmokhue is being propped up to assume the exalted stool of the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella.

“The procedure for the election, not selection, of Okuokpellagbe of Okpella is very clear. It is the people’s right to elect someone, using the traditional council and titled chiefs in line with the Traditional Councils Edict of 1979.”

As the protest grows, Okpella leaders and locals are urging Governor Obaseki to suspend Akemokhue’s installation, claiming that their customs and traditional processes must be followed to avert more strife.