Okpella Clan carved out from Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State has been without a clan head since the death of the late Okwokpellagbe of Okpella, Alh. A.Y.E. Dirisu.
Late Okwokpellagbe died on February 17, 2019 and since then, efforts to get a successor have eluded the clan as it has been without a substantive clan head for over two years.
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It was gathered that efforts by the kingmakers to produce a successor has been in vain as the process has been halted by the state government following the intrigues and power play by some community members.
Niger Delta Trust learnt that the stool is being rotated between two ruling houses, namely the Ogute and the Otekhu, and that it is the turn of the Otekhu to produce the next Okwokpellagbe because the late king was from Ogute ruling house.
It was also learnt that as part of the tradition, when the clan head dies, the kingmakers commence the process of getting a successor after 90 days.
However, the inability of the Otekhu ruling house to agree on who should be the successor was largely responsible for the development coupled with the court cases and politics that has been introduced into it.
A community member, who spoke to Niger Delta Trust, Umar Kadiri Afegbua, said the stool is rotated between the Ogute and Otekhu ruling houses.
“It is the turn of Otekhu which comprises Iddo, Afokpella and Ogiriga, to produce the next Okwokpellagbe of Okpella.
“There is an existing gazette adopted in 1979 by the defunct Bendel State Government that unambiguously spells out the procedures to be followed in choosing a new king for Okpella Clan”.
“As you know, anything we are doing today, there is an element of politics, some people claimed that some persons that are aspiring are not from Okpella and should not be allowed to contest the exalted stool.
“Thereafter, some people went to court that the selection process should be put on hold and that the status quo should be maintained.
“Later, the people of Okpella had to rise against all the unnecessary antics; politics has never been a consideration in the selection of Okwokpellagbe.’’
He said the governor, through the commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, is supposed to make a pronouncement regarding the new Okwokpellagbe of Okpella but is yet to appoint commissioners
He said the relationship between the community and the companies or industries operating in the area is also affected as there is no clan head to coordinate things in an organised manner.
Afegbua appealed to the state government to expedite action regarding the selection and installation of the new clan head.
The President, Association of Okpella Youths Initiative, Alasa Bayo Oshioriamhe, said the inability to have a substantive Okwokpellagbe is affecting the community negatively.
“The development of the community is at its lowest ebb and there is nobody to interface with the government on behalf of the community. Many things the community supposed to benefit from the companies in the areas are no longer there because we don’t have a clan head.
“Things that the youths are supposed to get from the government and companies are no longer there because the clan head whom the youths should have to run to is not there. We are suffering in Okpella,” he added.
He said the lack of understanding between the Otekhu ruling house is largely responsible for the inability to get a substantive clan head.
“We have three communities in the Otekhu ruling houses, namely Iddo, Afokpella and Ogiriga communities. These three are from one parent, instead of coming together to discuss, they are not in agreement with each other. That brought the misunderstanding between them and hindering the installation of the clan head.’’
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