By Activist- Ahmed Abdulmumin
An incident involving former Senator Ahmed Ogembe, the current African Democratic Congress (ADC) flag bearer for the 2027 Kogi Central Senatorial Election, and the Palace of the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, His Royal Majesty, Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Muhammed Anaje, has generated considerable reactions and debate across Kogi Central.
The controversy followed Ogembe’s attempted visit to the royal palace in Okene, where he had reportedly requested an audience with the traditional ruler. However, upon arriving at the palace, he and his entourage were reportedly informed that the Ohinoyi could no longer receive them because the agreed appointment time had elapsed and His Royal Majesty had retired to his inner chamber.
The former senator and his supporters were subsequently left waiting at the palace entrance before eventually departing without meeting the traditional ruler.
Understandably, the incident generated questions, particularly among supporters of the former senator and other concerned citizens. Some wondered why a former senator and serving political candidate would be denied an audience with the traditional ruler, while others questioned whether there were political undertones behind the development.
In response to the growing public reactions, the Palace issued an official clarification through Chief Musa Usman, Director of Protocol to the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.
According to the palace statement, former Senator Ogembe, through his Director-General of Campaign, Abdulmalik, contacted the palace to request an audience with His Royal Majesty and proposed 12:00 noon as the convenient time for the visit.
The palace stated that it graciously accepted the proposed time, waived its usual protocols and made the necessary arrangements to receive him.
The statement further disclosed that since the ascension of the present Ohinoyi to the throne, Senator Ogembe had never deemed it necessary to pay royal homage or formally visit the palace. It therefore described the request as noteworthy, considering that it came at a time when the former senator was seeking election into the Senate.
Nevertheless, the palace maintained that His Royal Majesty accommodated the request in his capacity as a father to all.
The most significant part of the palace’s explanation was its account of the waiting period. According to the statement, His Royal Majesty adjusted his engagements and patiently waited until approximately 4:30 p.m., when he eventually retired to his inner chamber after waiting for several hours without the senator’s arrival.
Ogembe and his entourage reportedly arrived a few minutes before 5:00 p.m., by which time the traditional ruler had already retired.
The palace therefore maintained that the anticipated audience could no longer take place.
While the palace has provided its explanation, another question has continued to dominate conversations among some residents and political observers in Kogi Central.
Would the same treatment have been given to former Governor Yahaya Bello if he had been the person who arrived several hours after an agreed appointment?
This question is particularly significant because Yahaya Bello, during his administration as Governor of Kogi State, played a role in the emergence of the present Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.
Some political observers have consequently raised questions about the relationship between the traditional institution and the political figures who played prominent roles in the process that brought the current ruler to the throne.
Some critics have gone further to suggest that if the same incident had involved Yahaya Bello, the political consequences for the palace might have been different.
There are even those who have made sarcastic remarks that the traditional ruler could have faced threats of exile if he had denied Yahaya Bello an audience under similar circumstances.
These are political reactions and perceptions, not established facts. Nevertheless, their emergence reveals the level of public sensitivity surrounding the relationship between traditional institutions and political power in Kogi Central.
The central question should therefore be whether the palace applies the same standards of courtesy, protocol and access to every individual, irrespective of political influence, personal relationships or electoral interests.
Supporters of Ogembe have questioned the circumstances surrounding the denial of access, with some interpreting the incident as an attempt to frustrate his visit to the palace.
Others have argued that his decision to visit the Ohinoyi after several years without a formal royal homage raises questions about the timing and motivation behind the visit.
On the other hand, supporters of Yahaya Bello have defended the palace’s position by asking a rather straightforward question:
If Ogembe had still been a serving senator, would he have waited for someone who scheduled an appointment with him for 12:00 noon but only arrived at almost 5:00 p.m.?
This argument raises a legitimate issue about respect for appointments, time management and consideration for other people’s schedules.
However, the debate should not be reduced to a contest between the supporters of two political personalities. It should also be an opportunity to examine the responsibilities of political officeholders and the expectations placed on traditional institutions.
My personal position on this matter is that Nigerian politicians must learn to respect time, appointments and schedules.
There is a disturbing culture among some politicians who believe they can arrive at any event, meeting or official engagement whenever it is convenient for them, regardless of how long other people have waited.
An appointment is an agreement, not an instruction that gives one party unlimited freedom to disregard the time of another.
If a meeting is scheduled for 12:00 noon, every effort should be made to honour that commitment. Where unforeseen circumstances arise, the responsible thing is to communicate with the host, explain the situation and request an adjustment.
In Ogembe’s case, if the agreed appointment time had passed and he realised that his arrival would be significantly delayed, it would have been appropriate for him or his delegation to contact the palace, explain the circumstances and seek a rescheduling of the visit.
We must also acknowledge that political movements sometimes come with logistical challenges. Politicians often travel with large entourages, supporters and security personnel. Road congestion, security arrangements and other unforeseen circumstances can affect their arrival time.
These possibilities should not be dismissed without consideration.
However, such challenges do not eliminate the responsibility to communicate when an appointment cannot be honoured.
On the other hand, while the palace has every right to maintain its schedule and traditional protocols, I believe there could have been room for an alternative approach.
Considering the political sensitivity of the visit and the fact that the former senator had already arrived at the palace, the traditional ruler’s representatives could perhaps have briefly received him, conveyed His Royal Majesty’s inability to grant the audience at that moment and arranged another convenient date.
Alternatively, the palace could have facilitated a rescheduling through its spokesperson or protocol department.
Such a gesture would not have undermined the dignity of the throne. Rather, it might have helped prevent the controversy that has now become a subject of political discussion.
After all, traditional rulers are fathers to all, regardless of political affiliation, personal relationships or electoral ambitions.
The Ohinoyi of Ebiraland occupies an institution that is bigger than any political party, candidate or administration.
The traditional institution must remain a unifying force for the people of Ebiraland. Its doors should reflect the values of fairness, fatherhood, dignity and impartiality.
Whether a visitor is from the ADC, APC, PDP or any other political platform, the standards of courtesy and institutional conduct should remain consistent.
Equally, politicians must understand that traditional rulers are not political subordinates who must abandon their engagements whenever a political personality arrives. Respect must be mutual.
The palace deserves respect for its time, authority and protocols. Political leaders and their entourages also deserve courtesy and dignified treatment.
Neither political influence nor traditional authority should be used as an instrument for humiliation.
The Ogembe palace visit controversy should serve as a lesson to politicians, traditional institutions and the general public.
For politicians, it is a reminder that public office, political influence and large entourages do not excuse anyone from respecting appointments.
For traditional institutions, it is a reminder that their greatest strength lies in their ability to remain fathers to all, irrespective of political differences.
And for the people of Kogi Central, it is an opportunity to demand fairness, consistency and accountability without turning every disagreement into a political war.
The question is not simply whether Ogembe was right to arrive late or whether the palace was right to decline the audience.
Ebiraland belongs to all of us.
The throne belongs to the people, and its dignity must remain above partisan politics.
– Activist – Ahmed Abdulmumin
ahmedabdulmumuni100a@gmail.com
