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Youths, elders petition Governor Alia, demand justice, equity
There is uneasy calm in Ingle Edumoga Community in Ingle/Okpale Ward of Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State over the appointment of the next District Head of Edumoga Community.
Critical stakeholders, comprising elders and youths from Ingle Edumoga Community, are laying claim to the stool, saying it is their turn to produce the next District Head in line with the tradition and rotational principles that have guided the appointment of the District Head in Edumoga Chiefdom.
Stakeholders from the community, in a strongly worded petition to the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, copied to traditional and political leaders from the area, accused the Ad’Okpokwu, His Royal Highness Chief James Okefe, and the Chairman of the Okpokwu Council of Chiefs of orchestrating a plan to alter and disregard the existing traditional arrangement for appointing a District Head for Edumoga Community.
The three-page petition, signed on behalf of the Ingle Edumoga Community by the Chairman of Ingle Community, Mr Gabriel Ugboyi Ogwuchea; the National Matron/Women Leader, Mrs Elizabeth Ochada; and the National Youth Leader, Engr Joseph Otobo, described the alleged plot to overturn the existing arrangement as a gross injustice, an abuse of traditional office and a deliberate attempt to subvert the established rotation of traditional leadership in the chiefdom.
“We, the undersigned, and on behalf of the good peace-loving people, elders, youth, and other stakeholders of Ingle Edumoga in Ingle/Okpale Ward in Edumoga Chiefdom, Okpokwu Local Government Area, wish to bring to your urgent attention, tho ongoing manipulation by Chief Okefe to arbitrarily bypassed our ward and handed the stool to an individual from a completely different ward that had already taken its turn.
“The ascension to the stool of the District Head of Edumoga Chiefdom has historically operated on a well established tradition of rotation and zoning for fairness, equity and justice.”
The petitioners claimed that, from available records, other blocks/wards within Edumoga Chiefdom have duly served their respective terms, adding that, “For the purpose of fairness, peace and traditional administrative equity, it is indisputably the turn of Ingle Edumoga to produce the next District Head.”
They warned that anything short of this would amount to a direct invitation to anarchy, which would not be good for the peace and development of Benue State at large and Okpokwu Local Government Area in particular.
While appealing to the governor to intervene urgently in the matter, the Ingle Edumoga Community further disclosed that its demand was not an isolated one because it had earlier been agreed that Ingle Edumoga should produce the next District Head after an expanded meeting of all the Edumoga ward heads.
According to the petition, “During a formal meeting held at the palace of the 3rd Class Chief of Edumoga, Chief Ojo Emmanuel Ochechema, all the ward heads of Edumoga met and extensively deliberated on this matter.
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“At that meeting, the ward heads unanimously agreed and affirmed that it is indeed the rightful turn of Ingle Edumoga to produce the next District Head.”
The community maintained that this collective decision was made to ensure fairness and uphold the peaceful coexistence of the clans.
While accusing Chief Okefe of commercialising traditional stools within his domain, the petitioners claimed they had strong reasons to believe his decision was heavily influenced to the detriment of the Ingle Edumoga Community.
“We have strong reasons to believe, based on emerging facts within the locality, that this subversion of justice was heavily influenced by compromise and financial inducements involving key traditional authorities, including the palace of the Och’Idoma.
“Traditional institutions are meant to be custodians of truth and peace, not commercial enterprises where leadership slots are sold to the highest bidder at the expense of communal stability,” they added.
They, however, warned that although the people of Ingle Edumoga are peaceful, law-abiding and have consistently shown maximum respect for the traditional stool of Ad’Okpokwu and the entire Idoma Traditional Council, this peaceful disposition should not be mistaken for weakness or cowardice.
“Chief James Okefe’s actions is taking our patience for granted, insulting our collective intelligence, and actively provoking the youths and elders of Ingle Ward.”
The community therefore appealed to the governor to call Chief James Okefe (Ad’Okpokwu) to order immediately and halt any ongoing process aimed at swearing in or recognising any individual outside Ingle Edumoga for this specific District Head position.
The petitioners also urged the governor to direct an immediate investigation into the zoning and rotational history of the Edumoga District Head stool to verify their claim that it is the turn of Ingle Ward.
“Mandate the traditional council to strictly adhere to the rule of equity by ensuring that the next District Head of Edumoga is chosen exclusively from qualified candidates presented by the people of Ingle Edumoga,” they added.
