Schedule 2 of the Chiefs (Appointment, Deposition and Establishment of Traditional Council in Kogi State) Law 2006 which became operating on 8th June 2006 indicates clearly that without any ambiguity, Atta-Igala remains the President of Kogi State Council of Chiefs, hence this can be reverse through legislative procedure.
My attention have been drawn to a press statement credited to Tom Ohikere, one of the loyalists of Governor Yahaya Bello, over the recent Federal High Court, Lokoja judgement on the status of Ajaokuta, Lokoja and Koton-Karfe as part and parcel of Igala Kingdom based on the fact that the areas in question was ceded to the British colonialist by the then Atta Igala, Ameh Ocheje.
Expectedly, the judgement in favour of HRM Ameh Oboni II has elicited so many reactions, though one is not surprised that those jolted and those favoured by the judgement are reacting.
However, this should be done with decorum because the Atta Igala instituted the case since 2017 against the Federal Government, not against the Ohinoyi of Ebira nor Ohimege Igu (Koton-Karfe). Instead of vitriolic remarks to incite the good people of the state against each other, the best reaction should be to join in the suit with the Federal Government to appeal against the judgement because this is a civil matter.
The Atta Igala, choose not to incite people over what belong to his forebears is a good example that should be commended rather than to be vilified.
Governor Yahaya Bello said the state has no room for imperialism. This is unfortunate and in total absurdity to human rights. Perhaps, erroneously, he thinks he is an Alpha and Omega who should be feared even with a stolen mandate that can not stand the test of time.
Yahaya Bello’s kinsman and acolyte, Tom Ohikere was full of venomous rants and diarrhoea of the mouth not to know the limit of how wide to open his cavity in gargantuan matter that supercede him and his pay master.
Ohikere was surely an ignoramus to say that Atta Igala, HRM Ameh Oboni II should be removed as the President of Kogi State Traditional Council for exercising his rights and those of peace loving Igala people who have tolerated the subjugation of people of Igala descent domiciled in Ajaokuta, Lokoja and Koton-Karfe areas before the migration of Ebira speaking groups to their present abodes.
Mr Ohikere, the former Commissioner for Information in Kogi State, it demeaning that you do not know that Yahaya Bello lack the power to remove HRM Ameh Oboni II as you are canvassing. I am surprised that you are wallowing in ignorance and subjectivity at you age and acclaimed standing.
Let me tell you that Schedule 2 of the Chiefs (Appointment, Deposition and Establishment of Traditional Council in Kogi State) Law 2006 which became operational on 8th June 2006 indicates clearly that without any ambiguity, Atta-Igala remains the President of Kogi State Council of Chiefs and the Ohinoyi is the Vice-President. Hence the issue of the President/Chairman is constitutional and can only be tinkered with through the change in law of the state.
Let me state clearly that any attempt to subvert the law of the state and blackmail Atta Igala, HRM Ameh Oboni II due to the facts of history which evidently has been laid bare before the law court will be resisted with the last blood in our veins. Those who made attempts to rewrite history over the years should realise that their cover has been blown and their purported falsehood cannot stand in the court of higher jurisdiction.
I advice Ohikere and his ilk to pursue their inordinate cause through civil ways instead of inciting the people for violence. Ignorance is not an excuse and evidences supercede bragging and ranting before the Court of Law.
– Comrade Usman Okai Austin, a Human Rights Advocate, writes from Abuja.
