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A GROUP, known as Eganyi Youth Development Association, EYIDA, has called on the Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and Ado Ibrahim, Ohinoyi of Ebira land, to quickly wade into the chieftaincy tussle that had engulfed the stool of Adogu of Eganyi in Ajaokuta local government area of the state since May 3, 2015 when the occupant, Muhammad Otaru Achuga died.

In a statement by the coordinator, Ibrahim Ado Isa, the group said that if the governor and Ibrahim, who is also chairman of Ebira Traditional Council, do not step in to quickly resolve the tussle, it could degenerate into serious crisis.

The group, which identified Musa Isah Achuga, Ohi of Eganyi and the chairman of Jaokuta Area Traditional Council, as the brain behind the brewing crisis, said that while members of the Eganyi kingmakers have unanimously chosen a candidate to succeed the passed-away Adogu, based on historical fact and accepted traditional norms, the Ohi of Eganyi has remained adamant.

“It is a historically accepted fact that the stool of Adogu is rotated amongst the three clans: Ezi-Ogu, Ezi-Esugu and Ezi-Eheda- and based on this, it has been established beyond doubt that it is the turn of Ezi-Esugu.

“Based on this incontrovertible historical fact, representatives of the three clans met and agreed that it is the turn of Ezi-Esugu as a result of which Ezi-Esugu presented Chief Dr. Abubakar O. Sadiq. But because the Ohi of Eganyi, who belongs to another clan and has no role to play in who the Esugu clan presents as the next Adogu, he (Ohi of Eganyi) has been causing unnecessary tension.”

The group recalled that because of Ohi’s meddling into the Adogu of Eganyi stool and his threat to peace and unity of the area, the Kogi police command had recently invited him to Lokoja, the state capital to write an undertaking that he would not cause unnecessary crisis in the Eganyi kingdom.

“We are therefore appealing to the governor and the Ohinoyi of Ebira land to move quickly and give us our Adogu in the person of Chief Dr. Abubakar O. Sadiq, having been chosen by the kingmakers and having fulfilled all legal and traditional requirements.

“We warn however that any attempt to foist any other person on us, through imposition, would not only rouse trouble but would result in legal tussle, which is strange to our land since it came into being around 17th century.”

—  Feb 21, 2017 @ 17:20 GMT

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