Ezza Chieftaincy Title: Rep Francis Ottah Agbo Calls For Calm

…Says Ado Traditional Council Should Sustain Cordial Relationship With Ezza Ezekuna

The Honourable Member representing Ado/Ogbadibo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency, Dr. Francis Ottah Agbo has sued for peace and calm in Ado LGA, following the nullification of the traditional titles bestowed on some prominent sons of Idoma by the Ezza Ezekunna in Inikiri, Ulayi District of Ado Local Government of Benue State on January 3.

The titles were nullified by the 3rd Class Chief Covering Zone B, Ado LGA, Chief Douglas Ogenyi Ocheme!

Mr. Andrew Agbese, Media Adviser to Dr. Ottah Agbo, in a statement, explained that since the conferment of chieftaincy titles on Senator Abba Moro, Dr. Ottah Agbo, Ado LGC Chairman, Mr. James Oche and Mr. Edwin Ochai by the Ezza Ezekuna, the Honourable Member has been inundated with calls expressing concerns about the traditional titles.

It was evident that the Ado Traditional Rulers and many critical stakeholders believed the awards did not follow the due process and cannot stand, because according to them, the Ezza Ezekuna did not seek the approval of the Ado Traditional Council and by extension, the Idoma Area Traditional Council before bestowing the titles on the quartet.

They reasoned that Ado Traditional Council itself cannot give traditional title to any one without the express approval of the Idoma Traditional Council chaired by the Och’Idoma.

Some Traditional rulers and stakeholders even lambasted the Lawmaker for accepting the title that never got the approval of both Ado and Idoma Area Traditional Councils. Some Royal Fathers even threatened to sanction the House of Reps Member. They cited the situation in Igumale many years ago, when the Och’Idoma, Agabaidu, Dr. Elias Ikoyi Obekpa suspended the 2nd Class Chief of Ado, Chief Joseph Onazi, for conferring Chieftaincy titles on Senator Abba Moro and others, without obtaining permission from the Idoma Area Traditional Council.

It was in the midst of these that Chief Ogenyi Ocheme, the 3rd Class Chief who superintends Zone B, comprising Ulayi district under which the titles were conferred, reportedly “cancelled” the honorofics.

Speaking at Ijigban, before a mammoth crowd that came to celebrate the Thanksgiving service in honour of Dr. Patrick Onumah Agbo, elder brother to the FeedBack Lawmaker, who had a close shave with death last year, Chief Ocheme said after wide consultations with his Council of Chiefs, he had nullified the titles because according to him, due process was not followed in the awards!

Chief Ocheme may have taken advantage of the occasion which was covered by numerous media houses and bloggers to drop the ‘bombshell!’

The pronouncement by the Traditional Ruler may have embarrassed all the recipients of the various titles and particularly the Rep Member who was having fun with his guests at the occasion and had no inkling that such a pronouncement was about to be made; but all the same took it in good faith even though he was completely devastated by the reversal of the title, he cherishes.

Dr. Ottah Agbo took it in his strides at the occasion because he did not want to give some naysayers and enemies of progress any reason to celebrate as these are the same set of persons who had called and sent copious SMS to invited quests at the occasion to shun the Thanksgiving, alleging insecurity in Ijigban.

But people from all walks of life, defied the propaganda of the blackmailers and came en mass to merry with Dr. Patrick Onumah Agbo and family.

Ijigban is a peaceful community. It is one of the very few communities in Idomaland that has never witnessed kidnapping, armed robbery and other sundry crimes and criminalities. When people visit the community with police protection, they do so not because Ijigban is unsafe, but because of the gory stories of insecurity on Nigerian roads as they have to pass through the highways before reaching Ijigban. No one would have flown into Ijigban without passing through the roads as there is neither airport nor air strip there. It is against this background that all politicians and VIPs who desire protection on the Nigerian road of today move about with police protection, at least for precautionary reasons.

The Lawmaker insists that those selling the negative narrative of insecurity in Ijigban are failed politicians, bent on scaring people away from the peaceful community to score cheap political point .

While stressing that peace is golden, the Ozigizaga and the Moving Train of Enone, urges the Ado Traditional Council, Ezza Ezekuna and critical stakeholders to put behind them the controversy surrounding the propriety or otherwise of the chieftaincy titles, and sustain the existing age-long cordial relationship between them.