Monday Okpebholo removes two Edo monarchs over leadership disputes and appoints a regent to stabilise the Ikpeshi and Ososo communities
Monday Okpebholo has dismissed the traditional rulers of the Ososo and Ikpeshi Egbegere communities in Akoko Edo Local Government Area, citing the need to restore peace and proper administrative order.
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The move followed the state government’s review of simmering disputes over traditional leadership in the two communities.
A statement issued on Thursday by the Secretary to the State Government Umar Ikhlor confirmed that Bamidele Obaitan of the Ososo Kingdom and Zaiki Luckman Odamah the Third of the Ikpeshi Egbegere clan had been relieved of their appointments.
Both men were directed to hand over government property and instruments of office to the chairman of Akoko Edo Local Government Council without delay.
The government stated that the decision was taken in the interest of stability and due process after assessing the contentious circumstances surrounding the conflicting claims to authority within the communities. Officials described the action as a necessary step to prevent further breakdown of order.
Governor Okpebholo approved the appointment of Nicholas Odamah as regent of the Ikpeshi Egbegere clan.
He will oversee the affairs of the clan in a custodial role and ensure cooperation with government directives during the transition period.
In Ososo, the elders of the four quarters known as the Unukhus, along with the Council of Chiefs and senior community figures, were instructed to consult widely and submit a consensus candidate for the vacant stool.
The name is to be forwarded through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs within a timeframe that will be formally communicated. The state stressed that the selection process must respect customs, rotation principles and the collective will of the Ososo people.
The development follows growing tensions in the area. The PUNCH had earlier reported that Odamah the Third protested the appointment of Professor Roland Otaru as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, a dispute that further strained relations within the traditional circles.
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The government maintains that the new measures will guide the communities toward a more stable and unified leadership structure.
