President Goodluck Jonathan has been called upon to, as a matter of urgency, intervene in the lingering crisis rocking the selection of a new Attah Igala following the death of Dr. Aliyu Obaje last year.
A group, Unyogba Igala Project (UIP), made this call in a statement made available to journalists in Lokoja at the weekend, saying President Jonathan should “please arrest the looming crisis before it snowballs into an uncontrollable situation”.
Vacant Attah Igala’s Stool
In a statement signed by the group’s spokespersons, Dr. Goodman Akwu and Prince Umoru Obaje, dated January 12, 2013, they enjoined the President to act fast in order to sustain the relative peace being enjoyed by the people of the area for decades, insisting that he should prevail on the Kogi state government to approve the recommendation of the Igala kingmakers on that subject to avoid a looming crisis in the region.
While the group wished Governor Idris Wada a quick recovery from December 28th 2012 auto crash, they urged President Jonathan, as an Attah-beaded chief, the Eju Atttah Igala (which means the eye of the Ata) to prevail upon him to give his nod to the recommendation of the Igala traditional kingmakers that are empowered by the law guiding the stool to that effect.
UIP stressed that “the Attah Igala position is to Igalas what Sultan is to the caliphate and Queen to United Kingdom and the selection process of the occupants of these revered institutions is purely traditional, devoid of party politics or religion”, adding that since democracy is about people’s rights/freedom and not subjection, the powers that be in the state should be made to respect the tradition and the people’s wish.
UIP maintained that the process of succession to the Attah stool remains as sacred as ever, saying that the 1963 order/rules which emphasised that it is the direct son of the Attah that is the heir apparent of the throne and in the absence, the son of the Attah’s brother becomes an alternative crown prince was logically and spiritually followed to the latter by the kingmakers in the present circumstances.
The group wondered why the delay in action, warning that if the announcement is delayed further than this, the Igala race might be forced to believe the story making the rounds that a former governor of the state is behind the logjam.
The statement noted that the last Attah’s long reign on the throne kept the Igala kingmakers off duty for half a century, stressing that the information at the group’s disposal shows the kingmakers have finished their role and the result ratified by the Igala Traditional Council, presided by HRH Yakubu Ahmodu, the Eje of Ankpa. It said the result has been presented to Governor Idris Wada on behalf of the Igala nation by the head of the custodian of this special class, HRH Yusuf Ameadaji, the Achadu Attah Igala for “his accent, declaration and Installation since the 10th of December 2012”.
“It may interest you to note that the result of this exercise is kept in abeyance and the entire Igalas are left in the wilderness”, the statement said.
According to the group, 10 kingmakers participated in the selection process as usual and three candidates, Prince Idakwo Ameh Oboni from Aju-Ocholli DYNASTY; Chief Peter Adebo Opaluwa from Aju Ame Achor dynasty; Alh Isah Odoma from Aju Akogu dynasty were screened and voted for, adding that the state government should not be led into allegation of complicity in the air over a particular candidate by acting now.
The position of Attah Igala became vacant as a result of the demise the legendary Dr. Aliyu Ocheja Obaje who joined his ancestors on the 17th of July 2012, after a 56-year reign for on the throne.
