How Esimaje, Others Stopped Us From Seeing Olu Of Warri – Pa Monday Alaigba

By Daniel Dafe

The Olare-Aja of Obaghoro Community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, Pa Monday Alaigba, has alleged that one Mr Esimaje Vincent Ebigbeyi ( aka Esimaje Vincent Awani) and some youths threw them out of the palace of the Olu of Warri when they honoured a summon by the monarch over the allegation leveled against them of dishonoring the traditional ruler.

A statement signed by the Obaghoro community leader, dated January 31, 2022, said that the shocking incident happened on the 28th of January, 2022.

His words: “The visit was sequel to a meeting held with the Director of the Palace Administration, Chief Clement Maleghemi, on the 26th of January, 2022 for the purpose of refuting and clarifying allegations against the community of dishonoring the oral invitation of His Majesty Olu to visit him in the palace.”

According to the statement, why he was awaiting a call from Chief Maleghemi as to when to come for the meeting with the Olu, one Blessing Bawo threatened to drag him to the palace if he fails to show up.

Continuing, he said he reported the threat of Bawo and other youths to Chief Maleghemi, who he said assured him that there was nothing to worry about.

Speaking further, he said they arrived the palace on the 27th of January based on discussions with Chief Maleghemi, but were asked to return on the 28th by 3pm.

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He added that the meeting for 28th was brought to 1pm which when they set out to keep the appointment “on arrival, were ushered to a waiting-room to be called in when His Majesty was ready to receive them, saying that to their shock and dismay, one Esimaje Vincent Ebigbeyi (aka Esimaje Vincent Awani) barged into the Director’s Office and with visible rage chased him and his delegation out of the waiting-room as he violently pulled away the chairs from under them causing some members of his team to fall and sustain bruises and wounds.

Adding that the CCTV camera in the palace will attest to his claims.

He continued: “As we look back on what has been happening over the period, including the fabrication that I, and my community elders, have been dishonoring His Majesty’s invitation when no such message reached us, we are now convinced that a group of our youths were out to discredit the leadership for whatever is their goal. And there is no doubt that Esimaje Vincent Ebigbeyi is their arrowhead. This, in my view, is dangerous for the palace as the truth will most likely be withheld from His Majesty.”

He quizzed: “Why did Esimaje Vincent Ebigbeyi chase my entourage out of the palace? Was he afraid that we were going to tell the truth before His Majesty? There must be something underneath that should
be unraveled. It is in this regard that we are respectfully requesting that a probe be made into the brouhaha.”

Furthermore, he said that they are ready to to respond to any summons to the palace in the interest of Warri kingdom and not that of some self indulging youths, just as he said that “truncating the palace invitation of the Palace is reminiscent of a coup to topple the Olaraja by depriving him to meet with HRM to achieve a sinister and ominous plot.”

“We want to be clear: we, as itsekiri owe our allegiance to the Ogiame! We hereby reiterate this allegiance and look forward to displaying it before His Majesty. He is the revered Head of our kingdom,” the statement said.

Attempts to speak to Esimaje proved abortive at the time of publishing this report.