HRH Clement Ikolo
* He is an impostor says Spokesman of Ekade Ruling House
* He on wanted list is normal says Olomuman
By Jon Egie
The newly installed traditional ruler of Ewu-Urhobo, HRH Clement Ikolo who had been declared wanted by Defence Headquarters, Abuja over the gruesome killing of 17 soldiers of the Nigeria Army in Okuoma village has surrendered himself to the Nigeria Police in Asaba.
The Ewu-Urhobo King along with President General of the community , Prof Ekpekpo Arthur and six others made the list of those declared wanted by the military.
The key suspect among the eight is a suspected militant leader, Akevwru Daniel Omotegbono, also known as Amagbein who is believed to have led the onslaught against the slain soldiers.
A young man, Reuben Baru who made a video on how they killed the soldiers was also on the list.
The mother of Amagbein, Igoli Ebi is on the wanted list. Two other persons suspected to be associates and members of Amagbein gang, Atata Malaw David, and Sinclear Oliki are also declared wanted.
Before surrendering himself to the police, the King in a video, denied knowledge of and involvement in the dastardly act condemning the brutal killing of the soldiers as anthetical to his faith and belief as a Catholic.
He said he was yet to adequately set up functional structures that would facilitate smooth running of the traditional administration of the kingdom since he has not been granted access to some parts of the kingdom due to existing crisis among some communities before he was enthroned.
It would be recalled that prelude to his installation as King of Ewu-Urhobo, there was mass protest of a section of the Ewu-Urhobo community rejecting his candidature. A video where a group of women in the community paraded a coffin and sang a dirge proclaiming the ‘end’ of Ikoli, was virile.
In spite of the opposition, it was said he enjoyed the support of some affluent and influential indegenes of the kingdom and by their efforts encouraged the Delta State Government under the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to give him a staff of office as Ovie of Ewu-Urhobo.
Controversy on right of Ikolo to Ewu-Urhobo throne
In a media report ( Vanguard June 27, 2023) Chief John Oyiberhe, the Otota (Spokesman) of Ekade Ruling House of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom, described Clement Ikolo as an impostor to the throne and reaffirmed the earlier position of the ruling house to the effect that Chief Gabriel Ohwodje Macauley is the authentic Ovie of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom, dismissing the claims by others as wishful and baseless thinking.
Chief Oyiberhe stated this in reaction to different media reports of some persons laying claim to the title of the duly elected Ovie of Ewu Kingdom, stressing that the only person who was duly screened and declared winner by the Ekade ruling house was Chief Gabriel Macauley who, he said, was the only qualified person among the three claimants, certified and crowned by the Kingmakers in line with the Edict of 1979 which stipulated the order of succession to the throne of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom.
He dismissed the media reports by Bernard Awarieta and Clement Ikolo wherein they laid claims to the coveted throne, declaring that Ikolo for instance, is not from Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom and cannot partake in the debate relating to the throne as specified in the Gazzete while Bernard Awarieta together with Ikolo did not buy expression of interest form from Ekade ruling house to participate in the contest.
‘’On April 26, 2021, Chief Gabriel Macauley was screened, declared Ovie-elect and having been issued with certificate of return as the duly elected King, was presented to the Ahavwan Kingmakers who in turn crowned him King on June 7, 2021.
‘’The man who allegedly crowned Bernard Awarieta is Chief Michael College Owhofaria who is not a male descendant of the Ahavwan Kingmakers family and so not eligible to perform that role. That alone nullifies the claim of Bernard Awarieta to the throne.
‘’Mr Clement Oghenerukevwe Ikolo on the other hand is paternally from Ovwodokpokpor-Olomu and maternally from Okpare-Olomu. That is one reason why some Olomu people are interested in his candidature. Chief Ebenezer Okorodudu, for instance, is the direct younger brother to the mother of Clement Ikolo in Okpare.
‘’Let me caution that the business of electing a King for Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom should be left for the Ewu-Urhobo people. The meddlesomeness from Olomu particularly some political elements from Olomu, is unhealthy and should be discouraged. We have elected our King in the person of Chief Gabriel Owhodje Macauley, who bought forms, presented himself for screening and was certified duly elected. He has been crowned since June 2021 and all we are waiting for is the staff of office from the Governor of Delta state.
‘’Sometime last year I did ask Clement Ikolo to support his claim to Ewu by providing his INEC Voters Card from 1999 to 2019 indicating where he had ever voted in the whole of Ewu. There is no name like Ikolo in Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom. You cannot just drop from nowhere to lay claim to the ancient throne of our fathers. May I also add that the late Papa J. U. Umolo, whom Mr Ikolo claimed signed and recommended him for the throne is also a female descendant in Ekade ruling house. The Edict is clear, no female descendant must have any say on issues pertaining to the kingship.
‘’Newspaper publications, misrepresentations and arguments cannot install a King for Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom. Due process and strict adherent to laid down procedures and provisions of the Traditional Rulers And Chiefs Edict 1979 regulating the succession to Traditional Ruler Title in Egwhu kingdom, should be followed. Chief Gabriel Owhodje Macauley has been duly elected and crowned. He is the Ovie-elect and Ewu Kingdom is happy with his ascension to the throne,” he declared.
‘’For the benefit of the general public, let me state the names of all those who bought forms, indicated interest and were screened for the throne as specified in the gazette.
“They are Prince Charles Iziregbe, Mr Sunday Ize, Chief Gabriel Owhodje Macauley, Mr Akporobaro Obega, Mr Felix Onemu and Mr Benson Omoharife.
“None of these people are complaining about the emergence of Chief Gabriel Macauley as the Ovie of Ewu Kingdom,’’ he declared, warning external forces to stay away from the matter of the Ovie of Ewu Kingdom as only the truth can bring healing to the land.” Vanguard reported.
Olomuman confirms Ikolo maternal root
Asked to comment on the controversy on Ikolo’s right to the throne of Ewu-Urhobo kingdom, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP and Okpare-Olomu community leader, Chief Moses Orhuakpor alias Olomuman confirmed that the mother of the monarch being the elder sister of Dr Ebenezer Okorodudu is from Okpare-Olomu .
” I know that his mother is from Okpare-Olomu, Ebenezer is his uncle, the mother is the elder sister to Ebenezer. But his father is from Ewu-Urhobo. If you ask me I don’t know how he is related to Ewu-Urhobo. When the father of the King died we took him to Ewu where he was buried.”
Asked if the curses laid by the protesting women could consequently have landed the king in the present trouble, Chief Olomuman said, ” I don’t believe in that and retorted, ” if that is what happened what about Prof Ekpekpo a lecturer in Abraka that was equally declared wanted by the military? This boy (the king) was living abroad, he rarely visited home, in fact he was summoned from London to come and occupy the throne. So any of the opposing factions could have mobilised those women to protest. That is not important. Adding the king to the list of persons declared wanted is a reasonable step by the military in the course of investigation on the killing of the 17 soldiers because he is the traditional ruler of the enclave, Okuoma where the crime was committed. Anyway, this is a security matter and one needs to be careful.” He said.
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