Chief Isaac Otima, a prominent and high-ranking Udu Chief is the Ame of Udu Kingdom. In terms of hierarchy with regard to the year of conferment of chieftaincy title, he is the number two chief in Udu kingdom.
Flanked by other notable Chiefs in Udu Kingdom, including Chief Goddey Elijah and Chief Monday Koru, Chief Isaac Otima on behalf of Udu Council of Chiefs expressed shock over the turn of events on the crisis rocking Udu, declaring without equivocation that those parading themselves as being elected to the Udu Traditional Council (UTC) were usurping the powers of the King. He spoke to select Journalists, recently.
Excerpts:
Can we hear your views on the misunderstanding in Udu over the nomination of members into Udu Traditional Council?
The issues in Udu emanated from the two parallel Executives of the Union of Udu Communities (UUC). The matter has been on for over a year until some interest groups wrote petitions which drew the attention of the state government to intervene.
However, the intervention of the state government brought out many issues, one of which was the nomination in addition to existing members of the Udu Traditional Council, the Cabinet team of His Royal Majesty, Dr. (Barrister) E. B. O. Delekpe JP, Owhorhu 1, the Ovie of Udu Kingdom.
It is shocking the way the UUC imbroglio was later twisted to embrace issues of the UTC. When in fact it was the UUC parallel Executive that got the attention of the state government and we had expected that it would end there.
Now again, the state government directive has been twisted to the extent that, Presidents of communities have arrogated to themselves the powers to determine who members of UTC should be and even demanding for monies for persons to be included in their selected list. God! What is the business of community Presidents or Chairmen with UTC matters? Presidents or Chairmen who were elected for a two or three-year term?
And these are people who are under the administration of the presidents-general and executive committee of the kingdom call UUC? One question, we must answer is the question of what constitutes a Kingdom. Can there be a Kingdom without a King with his Chiefs?
This kingdom is over 30 years old and our Royal Majesty, Barrister E. B. O. Delekpe JP, Owhorhu I, the Ovie of Udu kingdom is the 4th oldest king among the 24 kings in the whole of Urhobo land.
I make bold to say that there is no kingdom without a king and his chiefs. And so, presidents of communities have no business with UTC matters. Our people are being misled and that is why we are out to correct the wrong impression all over the land. When you refer to Uloho Ruling House for instance, you are referring to the titled Chiefs from Uloho and not Community Presidents or Chairmen. They have no business with UTC matters.
So matters of the UTC, whose business are they?
Constituting UTC members, is the exclusive preserve of the King and his Cabinet members. I am a Chief that has been conferred with the title of Ame since 1996. The only Chief older than me in Udu Kingdom is Chief B.J Egbetamah. We were conferred with Chieftaincy titles the same day but he was decorated first before me hence he is the senior. The business of constituting members of the Ovie’s Cabinet does not concern untitled persons.
These people are being misled into doing what they have no power to do. Traditional matters must be left for the King and his Chiefs. If you are not a Chief of the kingdom, you have no business with this matter.
What the state government came for is to ensure peace; Udu must be united and peaceful but not on this path of war. We are all in the business of putting UUC on the path of peace but bringing UTC into this matter is an aberration. Some people are trying to usurp the powers of the King and we cannot allow this to happen.
What advice do you have for the State Government at this stage of the matter, bearing in mind your avowed stand that UTC matter must be for Chiefs alone?
First, we appreciate the state government for their intervention so far in ensuring peace in the kingdom. The State Governor, His, Excellency, Rt Hon. Sheriff Francis Oborevwori is a traditional chief who knows how these things are done. He knows the role of the monarch in the UTC affairs and how traditional matters are handled.
We believe he cannot be misled by those trying so hard to twist the whole issues, the good intention of government to suit their purpose. Nobody can be a member of the King’s cabinet without the consent of the King. You cannot shave the king’s head in his absence.
The state government should allow the king and his chiefs decide the cabinet members and should call the council chairman to order and allow peace reign. These matters are not for presidents or chairmen of communities to decide. It goes beyond their mandate. The government should allow the king and his chiefs to decide these matters.
Aside UTC matter, what is your take on the membership of the UUC Caretaker Committee as selected by the ruling houses?
As far as we are concerned, Udu have not selected Caretaker Committee members. In the same vein, the process of getting the UTC members has not started. That is the exclusive business of the Ovie ( the King)and his Chiefs.
The 1979 Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Edict says that whoever is elected to the Udu Traditional Council, even if not a Chief, automatically becomes a Chief. How about that provision?
That is where our people are getting it wrong or the whole matter is being misinterpreted. When the Edict was made in 1979, there were no chiefs of the kingdom since it was the process to establish a new kingdom in order to install a king for the kingdom.
Then Udu was a clan. By 1995 when Udu became a kingdom, the Edict envisaged that those to be made UTC members would be those who were not Chiefs by then. That was why that provision was made. Today, Udu is already a kingdom with a king and several chiefs.
There was even a scenario at that time, some High Chiefs who were Chiefs of other Kingdoms before the Ovie was crowned, insisted on functioning without being conferred with titles by the King. The matter was settled by the state Government in favour of the King as they were compelled to take titles from the King.
“You cannot function as a cabinet member of the King without first being a Chief of the kingdom”. Let me admonish the Council Chairman to toll the line of peace by respectfully allowing the Ovie of Udu Kingdom and his Chiefs to determine who becomes a member of Udu Traditional Council (U.T.C) and not the Presidents of the Communities.
What is your final word on this matter?
I want to reiterate the fact that nothing has been completely done concerning the UUC Caretaker Committee and the UTC additional members, which is still in progress. We hear a list had been forwarded already through the Council Chairman to the State Government where the list of some ruling houses, the existing members of UTC were excluded, some have entirely new persons and some are not even Chiefs of the kingdom.
Some who were not chiefs at all were submitted. What an aberration! What insolence! Well, the truth is that nothing has been done without the input of the Ovie. Every Government has the prerogative to appoint its cabinet members.
In the same vein, it is the sole authority of the Kingdom to determine its own cabinet members. Whoever sent a document to Asaba or anywhere is only wasting his time. Thank God the Ovie of Udu Kingdom is back, at the appropriate time we will meet with his Chiefs and decide the way forward.
Nobody can shave his head in his absence. Never! These are traditional matters that must be determined by the King and his Chiefs. The community Presidents or Chairmen should stay away from traditional matters in their own interest!
