Posted by By Udede Jim on
Members of the Owolo War Canoe House of Koniju Town in Okrika have dissociated themselves from a suit field against the Amanyanabo of the community, HRM Captain Nemi T.Iyalla, Oputibeya X and two others over the approval and installation of Hon. Adokiye Amiesimaka as the substantive chief of the family.
Members of the Owolo War Canoe House of Koniju Town in Okrika have dissociated themselves from a suit field against the Amanyanabo of the community, HRM Captain Nemi T.Iyalla, Oputibeya X and two others over the approval and installation of Hon. Adokiye Amiesimaka as the substantive chief of the family.
During a courtesy call, which the Owolo House paid on the paramount ruler, their spokesman assured that, "we could not have and did not report our king to the police nor did we sue him in court because the king did what was right. Come to think of it, why will any sane person sue a King in whose court you also want to sit?", he quipped.
The Owolo House, therefore, dissociated themselves from the plaintiffs: Elders Opalibo Samuel, Elder Tamuno Frank, Hon Dennis Frank, Mr. Emmanuel Iroayenama and Sunday K. Amiesimaka, who, they maintain, did not have the mandate from the House for such action.
One of the delegates during the visit to the Koniju monarch, Mr. George Iyobu Obudere gave the assurance that the Owolo House was wholly behind Chief (Hon.) Adokiye Amiesimaka who was installed, with royal blessing, on the 8th January, 2005.
Another spokesman of the lee unit of Owolo War Canoe House explained that there are three units that make up the Owolo House: Lee, Tador and Kemepete units, noting that each unit produces the family chief on a turn-by-turn basis over time and that it had become the lot of the Tador, where Hon. Amiesimaka hails from, to take its turn. Based on this and the established process, the new chief was duly selected and installed.
According to the Owolo House leader who was part of the delegation to the Koniju Monarch, it has always been part of the family tradition that its Chiefs are selected on merit by the elders and not by election. He also explained that women and youths have never been part of the process, adding that when the elders conclude their selection process, based on the number of candidates deemed fit, the name of the qualifier is forwarded to the monarch, after other levels of certifications have been obtained.
George Iyobu noted that in the case on hand, actually the Owolo House had two candidates: Mr. Sunday K. Amiesimaka and Hon. Adokiye Amiesimaka but that the elders found the character and personality of the latter more dignifying, thus the recommendation and subsequent confirmation which was followed by the installation on 8th January, 2005, a ceremony that was well-attended and celebrated.
The dissidents, who have now gone to court in a traditional situation that is so clear, in the opinion of Iyobu, appear to have mischievous intentions.
A similar position was advanced by another member of the solidarity team, Barrister Zebulon Amiesimaka Tador who also enumerated to The Telegraph how the due process was followed to the letter in the nomination, presentation and installation of Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka by the Amanyanabo of Koniju, HRM Captain Nemi T. Iyalla, Oputibeya X.
Explaining further, Mr. Tamuno Ezekiel, chairman of Kamepete unit of Owolo House said the tag of Chief-elect, which Mr. Sunday Amiesimaka claimed was non-existent since the family never elects its head chief. He insisted that historically, Owolo House selects its chiefs and maintained that Chief (Hon.) Amiesimaka is the rightful occupant of the stool, warning non-progressives against acts that they would regret later. Mr. Ezekiel wondered how any sane man would sue the man in whose court he intends to reign because that is what the situation is like for Sunday Amiesimaka who has sued the king whose council he wants to belong to.
Like his co-members of the Owolo House of other units, Ezekiel assured the paramount ruler of their loyalty at any point in time. "Our Royal Majesty has our support any day and we intend to cleanse our family of those who want to cause problems in this community," he concluded.