Following the last week’s issuance of a letter of query to the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Dr. Ado Ibrahim CON, the Kogi State Government has come out with fresh revelations, explaining why the decision was taken.
Recall that after the letter of query made it to Press, the government has come under condemnations on the media for the action considered in quarters as disrespectful to the throne of the paramount ruler of the Ebira people.
Reacting in a press statement, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barr. Salami Ozigi Deedat said it was important to keep the public abreast with “the truth and isolate it from falsehood.”
According to the Commissioner, the Ohinoyi had told him he would not attend the event which President Muhammadu Buhari was scheduled to attend.
“First and foremost, the reconstructed palace of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland which was commissioned by the President and Commander-in-Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces has all along been the official palace/residence of successive Ohinoyi of Ebiraland. It is on record that when President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR visited Okene in the year 1984 as a Military Head of State, it was in the same palace that he was received by the then Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, late Alh. Sanni Omolori. The palace has been remodeled and reconstructed to a magnificent edifice that every son and daughter of Ebiraland could be proud of.
“Albeit, the current Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, His Royal Majesty, Alh. Dr. Ado Ibrahim CON opted, on his own, to stay in his personal house and use it as a palace, that does not erase the fact that there is an official palace built over the years for Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, It was for this reason that when the idea to reconstruct the palace to make it befitting for the revered stool of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland was muted, he (Ohinoyi of Ebiraland) was sufficiently consulted and he gave his consent.
“Upon the completion of the project which has received commendation from far and wide and the date for the commissioning by the President was approved and announced, I personally paid a visit to Ohinoyi of Ebiraland and I duly informed him of the programe of event. Although he responded negatively that he would not attend, I persuaded and entreated him to kindly attend in view of the importance of the project and especially the personality of the President that would commission the project.
“It is now known to all sundry that he made good his negative disposition not on any account of ill health or circumstances beyond his control, but a deliberate act of disloyalty and insubordination to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Executive Governor of the State.
“It may interest the public to know that the official visit of Mr President to Kogi State to commission projects was not limited to Okene alone, sundry projects were commissioned by the President in Lokoja, the State capital. To this effect, the President, Kogi State Council of Chiefs, His Royal Majesty, Matthew Alaji Opaluwa Oguche Akpa, Attah Igala led other Royal Majesties and all 1st Class Chiefs from both East and West Senatorial Districts and from their far domains to receive the President at the designated venue in Lokoja.
“It is therefore left for the public to judge if it was fair and appropriate for His Royal Majesty, the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, whose private residence is a few meters away from the venue of the commissioning of the palace and being the principal beneficiary of the project to stay put in his house while all the Graded Chiefs within the Central Senatorial District were present in solidarity with him to honour and receive the President,” the Commissioner noted.
Deedat said the Yahaya Bello led Kogi State Government will not allow attempts to humiliate the administration, but will continue to ensure the rule of law and respect for authority.
He revealed that a panel will be set up to look into the matter, assuring that members of the panel will be fair.
