Bayelsa chieftancy tussle brews violence

Community cries out to Dickson 

 

The Okoroma community in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has cried out to Governor Seriake Dickson following a chieftancy tussle brewing violence in the area.

Residents from the community, under the auspices of Okoroma Patriotic Movement (OPM) told the governor that if urgent steps were not taken to stop the imbroglio, the community would be plunged into violence.

In a letter addressed Dickson, the President, OPM, Mr. Nyenye Matthias, said unresolved issues on  the stool of the Obanobhan of Okoroma clan were threatening the peace of the area.

He said the Okoroma Clan of Chiefs, which is part of the traditional stool of the Okoroma clan in Nembe, was consumed by crisis caused by some disgruntled elements believed to be acting on the instruction from the office of the Deputy Governor of the state.

Matthias said: “This is evident in a law suit No. HC/7/2013 in the High Court of Bayelsa State in the Nembe Judicial Division Holden at Yenagoa between Chief Davidson Kigimo-Emina , Chief E.D. Opuama-Osomu, Chief M.W. Diete-Spiff, Akkom-Aziba, Chief Joseph Iwobo (for themselves and on behalf of the executive of Okoroma Clan Council of Chiefs) as claimants and Mr.Ebinimi Donka (embattled Acting Clan Head of Okoroma Clan) as a defendant.

“The claimants’ summons’ claim against the defendant are that the 1st claimant, Chief Davidson Kigimo-Emina is the Chief of Emina Group of Houses in Akakumama in Okoroma Clan.

Read Also: Bayelsa APC stalwart remanded in prison for alleged rape

“That the 1st Claimant, Kigimo-Emina is the Chairman of Okoroma Clan Council of Chiefs and the Acting Clan Head of Okoroma Clan.

“That the purported removal of 1st Claimant as the Chief of Emina Group of Houses in Akakumama in Okoroma Clan is unconstitutional and therefore null and void.

“That the defendant is not King (Paramount Ruler) of Akakumama, for the Paramount Ruler election has not been conducted.

“And that there should be a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from parading himself as the King (Paramount Ruler) of Akakumama.”

Matthias said in the claims against the defendant, the presiding judge of the court, Justice L.M. Boufini, on March 26, 2018, ruled that the 1st claimant (Kigimo-Emina) is the Chief of Emina Group of Houses in Akakumama in Okoroma Clan.

The judge was said to have ruled that the purported removal of the 1st claimant (Kigimo-Emina) as the Chief of Emina Group of Houses in Akakumama was unconstitutional and therefore null and void.

The court was also said to have ruled that the defendant (Mr. Ebinimi Donka) is not King/Paramount Ruler of Akakumama in Nembe.

Matthias noted that from the judgement of the court, it was clear that Kigimo-Emina is the legally-recognised Chairman of Okoroma Clan Council of Chiefs and the Acting Clan Head of Okoroma Clan in Nembe LGA.

He wondered why the Adumaingo, who is not party to the lawsuit, is rather arrogating powers of the Acting Clan Head to himself.

He said: “When he (Adamaingo) was confronted, he claimed to be working for loyalists of the office of the Deputy Governor and his actions clearly displayed flagrant disobedience of court order  cited earlier.

“Your Excellency, it is worthy of note that this matter has been brought to your attention whereby you directed your Special Adviser on Security Matters and the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development to look into the matter and ensure the law take its full course.

“But rather, Adamaingo went further to inaugurate a committee to screen and nominate a substantive Clan Head (Obanobhan of Okoroma), your recently elevated first-class stool.”

He said the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs and Community development, Chief Saviour Ibegi, recently called him for a meeting where he asked him to stop parading himself as  the Acting clan head but he allegedly refused.

“Only recently, report has it that he was funded with N10million to carry out the plan of his masters, whom he claimed are loyalists to ranking government official, whose aim is to strategize means of removing the recognized Ag. Paramount Ruler.

“Following these events, I call for your urgent intervention into the matter not because we are interested in joining issues with them but that they should realize that the journey to the 2020 governorship election is still far and that Okoroma clan should not be used as a battle ground for political control and superiority”, he said.