Okpella clan, carved out of Etsako East Local Government is one of the clans in Edo North Senatorial District without a head six years after the death of the former clan head, late Okwokpellagbe of Okpella, Alh. A.Y.E. Dirisu.
Late Okwokpellagbe died on February 17, 2019 and since then, efforts to get a successor have eluded the community.
It gathered that following the absence of the head clan issues that would have been settled amicably are left unresolved.
Residents of Okpella community, said there is existing gazette adopted in 1979 by the defunct Bendel State Government that unambiguously spells out the procedures to be followed in choosing a new king for Okpella Clan”.
The kingmakers it was gathered had made several effort to produce a successor but such process has been halted by state government following the intrigues and power play by vested interest in the community.
findings revealed that the Okwokpellagbe stool is being rotated between two ruling houses, namely the Ogute and the Otekhu.
It was also learnt that it is the turn of the Otekhu ruling house to produce the next Okwokpellagbe, as the late king was from Ogute ruling house.
Findings revealed that as part of the succession tradition, when the clan head dies, the kingmakers commence the process of getting a successor after 90 days.
However, the inability of the Otekhu ruling house to agree on one persons who should succeed the late clan head was largely responsible for the community living without a head.
A source who craved anonymity, claimed that if not for the intrigues and politics that were introduced by some people for selfish reason, they would have long installed a head.
According to him some sources, some persons that are aspiring for the stool are not from Okpella and should not be allowed to contest the exalted stool.
One of them said despite these politics and intrigues, the people submitted three names to the state government to pick from, but the state government is yet to do the needful.
One of the kingmakers,
Chief Talib Musa, who spoke Daily Trust on the development, said three names were presented to the state government to pick from after they were unable zero in on one person following the intrigues that heralded the selection.
The community, he said, has its own ways of doing things as regards traditional matters.
“Initially, when we got the proclamation letter from the governor through the local government, we, the kingmakers held meeting because we are supposed to elect one person that would be presented to the governor as the new clan head for installation and presentation of staff of office.
“So. the king makers met and discussed the modalities and started to prepare for the election to elect one person among the three names that have ben nominated.
“But, some persons brought boys to disrupt the process and we couldn’t arrive at any decision or pick one person among the three names we have from the Otekhu rulling house whose turn is to produced the next head clan,” he said.
He said when the kingmakers couldn’t elect one among the three nominated persons due to the action of thugs disrupting the process.
“We decided to write to the governor asking him to choose one out of the three person because the 44 days for the king makers to choose and submitted a candidate to the state government was already elapsing.
“We did that because as at the time the king makers gathered to select a new king, we have a problem and couldn’t select one person and we sent the three names to the governor to pick one from, and since them, it has been one problem or the other and people petitioning here and there,” said the kingmaker.
According to him, the governor is trying to see what he can do, adding “I am sure between now and three months, from the way we are going about it, there is the possibility that before he leaves office he might choose one for us out of the three we gave him
“In Okpella we have two rulling houses which is Ogute and Otekhu. Otekhu comprises of two villages and Ogute comprises of four villages. So, That is the rotation, it goes from Ogute to otekhu and it is the turn of Otekhu now”.
“But, we have not been able to pick one persons till now but I am sure in the next two to three months away from now, the governor would be able to pick one for us”.
He lamented that the interest in the issue that made the community not to arrived at one person among the three candidates nominated.
“Everybody is divided, everyone wants his own person to be there instead of coming together to say lets pick one, so it is because of various interest that we are without clan head”.
He noted that in every situation, politics must come in unless what is at stake is not popular.
“Once it is popular like this stool, the politicians would want to politicize everything and make sure it go.
Daily Trust.
