The cold war raging between the Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty (HRM), Obi (Prof.) Chike Edozien, the Delta state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and the chairman of Oshimili south local government area, Kelvin Ezenyili, has taken a dangerous dimension.
The Asagba of Asaba, has ordered his subjects to severe themselves from the Okowa-led administration and the third tiers of government under Ezenyili, until what is constitutionally his, has been remitted to him.
Speaking on Saturday July 31st 2021, during a press confrence in commemoration of his 97th birthday and 30th Coronation on the throne of his ancestors at the Palace, the revered traditional ruler warned that on no account should any indigene have anything to do with the state and local governments activities.
The ugly development is coming on the heels of a letter written to the council Chairman, Ezenyili, in which the governor was copied, demanding for the payment of the 5% constitutionally paid to him as a traditional ruler in the council but has been withheld for two years without any justifiable reason but Okowa, allegedly ignored the monarch which the Asagba saw as a slight on his throne and the Asaba Community.
The monarch who spoke through his Chiefs, equally mandated that any source of revenue located on the soil of Asaba, with which the council has fed fat, should be repossessed, thereby giving Ezenyili, a ‘Red Card’.
Hear him: “The Asagba in council wrote a letter to the council Chairman and copied Governor Ifeanyi Okowa which was signed by me, titled demand for the release of Oshimili South traditional Council’s stipend withheld for over two years.
“Till date, neither Governor Okowa nor the council Chairman responded to the letter, which is a slight on my throne as the Asagba of Asaba and the Asaba community.
“Oshimili south traditional council from inception has been receiving its stipend through the Delta State government but was surprised when payment stopped with effect from June 1, 2019, when the federal government commenced direct allocation to local government councils in the country.
“This trend has continued for over two years now and has caused a great hitch in the running of the Palace. We were constrained to make a fomal request for the release of the stipends to enable the Palace function optimally but our request was turned down.
“If we have gotten response from the governor, we wouldn’t have made our resolutions and suspending our people from customary, political, administrative and social events between the government and the Asaba community
“Consequent upon the refusal to remit the 5% stipend accrued to the tradinal rulers council for over two years, the Asaba community in its Asagba-in-Council meeting therefore declared an indefinite period of non-cooperation”
He ordered for the immediate repossession of all the property belonging to Asaba community, either as a source of revenue to the council or enhancement of the council’s administrative process which include markets and council quarters.
The monarch mandated all sons and daughters of Asaba community to cease from attending any meeting, ceremony, function and event organized by government.
He also tasked Asaba community henceforth takeover all duties assigned to the Local Government council, warning property and business owners not to pay any form of revenue levied by the government.
Meanwhile, the council chairman narrowly escaped lynching by Asaba indigenes who allegedly mobilized to the Palace awaiting the to strike Ezenyili, while coming out of the Palace, following information that he has arrived the Palace.
However, their purported plan was aborted following the arrival of the
Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Leo Irabor, who was at the Palace to equally pay homage to the respected king.
Also, the presence of the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, quelled the alleged anger that have accumulated against the Council boss since he assumed office with alleged impunity to disregard his host traditional ruler.
It was gathered that Ezenyili, was sweating under air-conditioner but the presence of the CDS and the governor eased him while some of his supporters who were at the Palace with him also calmed him down.
It was reliably gathered that Ezenyili, was not recognized as he was not introduced neither was he given the opportunity to speak at the event.
In the meantime, before the exit of the immediate past chairman, Comrade Uche Osadebe, during a courtesy call by members of the Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (OMPAN), Delta State chapter, the former Chairman disclosed that since he invoked the powers of the Constitution, which empowered him to open traditional rulers account in the council, about N90 million have been earmarked in the account.
Rumour from the grapevine revealed that the about N90 million claimed by the former chairman while he held sway then, has purportedly risen to about N500 million presently.
