The Obi-in-Council of the Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom in Delta State says the allegation leveled against Obi Ifechukwude Okonjo II, the traditional ruler of Ogwashi-Uku, by some protesters from Ubulu-Okiti and Ubulu-Uku Communities is incorrect, false, and malicious.
Our king is law-abiding and a strict adherent to the rule of law, the council said. The council stated this in reaction to the Friday protest by the Ubulu-Okiti youths, accusing the monarch of land grabbing and abduction.
A statement by Ifeakanachukwu Emordi, the Ogwashi-Uku Palace Secretary, on behalf of the council, described the allegation as a deliberate attempt to smear the monarch’s reputation.
At the peaceful protest led by Ifechukwude Nwabuebo, the president of Ubulu-Okiti, at Government House, Asaba, Friday, they accused the monarch: “For over two years now, the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom, Obi Ifechukude Okonjo and his brother, Prince Onyema and the family of Okonjo has been in our community land, grading and selling our land.
“If we protest, he will use thugs to chase us away from our land and our parents are no longer going to farm.
“The latest one now is that he came to Ubulu-Okiti, Ubulu-Uku and Aniagbala around 1am in the midnight, broke into our houses, beat up our wives and carried away our fathers to Zone 5 for the past seven days.
“Since then till date, they have refused to grant them bail; so, we have come to the government to appeal to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to intervene to release our fathers.
“We have been suffering for over two years and we are begging the government to intervene in this matter to tell the Okonjo family to leave Ubulu clan alone.
“We are not under Ogwashi-Uku clan; we are on our own- Ubulu-Uku, Ubulu-Unor, Ubulu-Okiti and Aniagbala is not the same clan with Ogwashi-Uku and they are now trying to take us as slaves which we have refused, hence we are here, sir.”
In same statement by Emordi, the council stated that it observed the use of propaganda and staged protests to derail the legal process and sabotage police investigation.
“The protest was a stark reminder of the need for all parties to respect the rule of law and avoid taking matters into their own hands.
“The Obi of Ogwashi-Uku remains committed to upholding justice and ensuring that anyone who acts unlawfully or violates court orders is held accountable.
The public is advised to disregard misleading narratives and await the outcome of the ongoing investigations by law enforcement agencies, who are determined to leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
“The Obi of Ogwashi-Uku has welcomed the Commission of Inquiry and has responded to all claims brought before the commission.”
The statement further said the council joined hands to await result from the Commission of Inquiry, which was set up by the state government to investigate disputed land matters between Ogwashi Uku and neighbouring communities.
This would definitely show that the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku is law abiding and strictly follows the rule of law, he said. Court judgement must be respected and nobody should take laws into their hands, the statement concluded.
Obi Okonjo is the younger brother of the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
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