Okpella Kingship: Elders Council Seeks Govt’s Intervention On Installation Of New Traditional Ruler
By Simeon OSAJIE
The Elders Council of Okpella Community in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State have renewed their appeal to Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State to approve the installation of Mike Sadoh as their next king, whom they said had been chosen by the community after thorough traditional and spiritual consultations with the gods of the land.
The Council which comprises the Heads of the four wards in Okpella, women and youths made the plea at a meeting recently held in the community.
The Otaru of Okpella, Elder Eneshiwagbe Odabor, stated that the search and choice of a new king came about after the demise of the occupant of the stool, late Alhaji A.Y. E. Dirisu, in February, 2019 where the community had remain without a traditional ruler.
Elders Odabor further explained that the purpose of the meeting is to remind the State governor on the need to install a new king in the person of Mike Sadoh.
According to him, “As the stool of the kingship remain vacant, nine names of indigenes of Oteku clan were taken for traditional and spiritual cleansing within and outside the community was the oracle chooses Mike Sadoh as the next traditional ruler of the community.
“We have since sent the name of Mike Sadoh to the state government for approval and installation as the traditional ruler of the community and up till now, we have not heard from them”, he said.
In their separate remarks, the most senior village head, Ogiemega of Okpella, High Chief Peter Dirisu, Chief Richard Aire David and Mrs. Victoria Otumekhe collaborated with the position of the Otaru, as they maintained that Mike Sadoh had been chosen as the next king in line with its custom and tradition of the land.
They, however, said that the elders of the community have always followed the due process of selecting a new king and that this should not be an exception from the norms of the tradition practiced in their land.
“We are calling on the Edo State Government and the relevant authority in charge of Chieftaincy affair to affirm and installed Mike Sadoh as our next king,” they emphasized.
