Ewu Kingship Tussle: Count Me Out Of Your Inauguration, Professor Arthur Ekpokpo,,Tells Oborevwori, Ikolo

The planned inauguration by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State in Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom of Clement Ikolo has taken a new turn as Professor Arthur Ekpekpo, who is listed as the Chairman of the purported inauguration Committee said he is not part of it and should be counted out of that arrangement.

Prof. Ekpekpo, is the President General of Ewu Urhobo Kingdom, and a well-respected leader in the area, he stated this in a telephone interview with Gazette News on Tuesday.

He noted that he would never be part of any attempt to impose a king on the people of the kingdom, adding that the right to choose a king is absolutely that of the Ewu Urhobo kingmakers who he said have already chosen HRM Bernard Awarieta as the only king who should be inaugurated.

“I have told them that I won’t be part of any arrangement outside inaugurating HRM Awarieta who is the king as chosen by the kingmakers and all rites already performed according to the law and custom of the people following the procedure as clearly stated by the Bendel State edict of 1979 as applied in Delta State.”

The people of Ewu Urhobo kingdom according to the President General are peaceful people and nothing should bring “my people into turmoil.”

He explained further that a case had been filed by the Ahavwa Kingmakers Family of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom who have gone to court restraining the government and its agents from giving staff of office to IKolo until the determination of the case against any attempt at foisting a man who came distant third in the selection process on the people of the kingdom.

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“Clement Ikolo came third in that selection process even a bracket third position, but for desperation he chose to ride roughshod on the collective sensibilities of the people in the kingdom in his desire to impose himself on the kingdom. I will never be part of that.”

He called on Governor Oborevwori to put the interest of the people at heart maintaining that the only king known to Ewu Kingdom is HRM AWARIETA and he alone should be issued staff of office and not Ikolo saying, to do otherwise is to trample upon the tradition and culture of Ewu kingdom.

“My plea to the government is to build peace in Ewu Urhobo kingdom and not throw us into anarchy. The planned inauguration of Ikolo puts the entire kingdom in a precarious situation, and the entire area could go up in flame if the government goes ahead to inaugurate an unpopular person as King.”