Okere-Urhobo Kingdom: Controversy As Kingmakers Disown Installation Of Eyekpimi As Oroseun

Controversies have continued to trail the crowning of Morrison Ochuko Eyekpimi as the Oroseun of Okere Urhobo Kingdom as Heads of the three ruling houses of (Idama, Sohworuw and Owhotemu), Apostle Isaac M.Eraivor, the Okpako- Orere (Eldest Man), has disowned the processes that led to the selection and crowning of the new monarch.

In a statement on Wednesday made available to BIGPEN NIGERIA (www.bgpenngr.com), the Okpako- Orere said that the traditional council members and the entire people of the Kingdom, have rejected the purported election/selection and crowning of Eyekpimi as the Oroseun of Okere Urhobo Kingdom.

He hinged the rejection on the grounds that the process that brought the new Oroseun was a slap and taboo to the tradition of the Okere Urhobo Kingdom.

Eraivor said that the Heads of the three ruling houses, traditional council members were not consulted maintaining that the crowning process took place at about 5:am when the people were sleeping only to wake up to see that an Oroseun has been crowned.

Okpako- Orere, also clarified that there is already a suit pending in an Asaba High Court in Delta State, as to who runs the affairs of the Kingdom after the demise of an Oroseun.

He said that the lawsuit is between Rtd. Brigadier Chief Gold Eburu, the Otota ( Defendant) and Apostle Isaac, M.Eraivor, the Okpako- Orere (Claimant) and for allegedly usurping the power of the Okpako- Orere Head of (Osun) the traditional council.

While affirming that it is the duty of the Okpako- Orere to crown Oroseun as the custom of Okere Orhobo people demands and not the Otota Chief Gold Eburu who assumed himself as a Regent without any legal backing or approval from the Delta State adding.” That the Crowning of Mr Morrison Ochuko Eyekpimi did not follow due process, and is null and void”

Eraivor, in the press release said that the Okpako- Orere of Okere Urhobo Kingdom and Head of the three Ruling Houses made available to newsmen in Warri, Delta State said two kings and one Otota ( Spokesman) have lost their lives because some group of persons have been playing politics with the traditional stool of Oroseun without regard to customs and traditions of the kingdom.

“Adding that they thought that the appointment of Chief Eburu by late King Emmanuel Okumagba will bring peace and unity to Kingdom. Instead he brought mockery to the stool.

He used his position to intimidate the elders, and crowned a king in the kingdom when people were still asleep by hijacking the process of installation, that the hijacking of the process of installation in the past few years have led to so many disasters in the kingdom traditionally “

“They made two options of resolving either by settling the issue of the leadership of the Traditional Council in the absence of King, or” We wait for the outcome of the pending suit in Court”

”That at the end of the on going litigation process in line with the Okere Urhobo Traditional Chieftaincy Declaration which have been affirmed by the Court, the Okpako- Orere will formally announce the selection and installation of the Oroseun (King) of Okere Urhobo Kingdom Warri “

Efforts made to get response from the newly crowned Oruseun did not yeild any fruit.