The Edo State government has suspended a traditional ruler over what he did to a woman in his community,
Traditional ruler of Uromi, His Royal Highness Anselm Okojie, Aidenojie II, the Onojie of Uromi
Traditional ruler of Uromi, His Royal Highness Anselm Okojie,
Aidenojie II, the Onojie of Uromi, has been suspended for seven days by
the Edo State Government.
According to The Nation, he was suspended for allegedly assaulting a
married woman, one Mrs. Betty Okoebor and traveling outside the country
without getting appropriate permission.
The suspension was contained in a letter signed by Secretary to the
State Government, Prof Julius Ihonvbere and dated October 26, 2016.
It reads in part, “Your unprovoked attack, inflicting grievous
bodily harm on one Mrs Betty Okoebor on September 28, 2016 in full
public glare to the embarrassment of those present and causing disgrace
to your otherwise esteemed office
“In the circumstances, the State Executive Council has arrived
at a conclusion that these and other acts of misconduct of Your Royal
Highness, the Onojie of Uromi are not only distasteful but also
unbecoming of a traditional ruler of your status.
“Based on the above and convinced that your Highness has denied
yourself of the opportunity of entering a plea against the charges
against you that were duly conveyed in writing to you, and therefore in
exercise of the powers conferred on the State Executive Council by
virtue of Section 28(1) of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Law (1979) and
all other Laws enabling it in that behalf, has approved your suspension
from office as the Onojie of Uromi with immediate effect for a period of
seven (7) days, that is, from the 26th of October 2016 to the 1st of
November, 2016.
“Consequently, within the suspension period, you shall cease to
be recognized and treated as traditional ruler or as the Onojie of
Uromi in Edo State and you shall not exercise any powers or function or
enjoy any privileges provided for under the Traditional Rulers and Chief
Law (1979) and all other relevant provisions under the said law.
“Within the 7-day suspension period, you are required to tender
unreserved apologies to your victim, Mrs Betty Okoebor and the
Government of Edo State. However, if within the said 7 days no public
apology in tendered by your very self, you will stand deposed as the
Onojie of Uromi.”
The embattled Onojie is not new to controversy, in April he was
quizzed by officials of the Directorate of State Security over a
petition sent to it by one Prince Ernest Okojie over alleged threat to
life.
Also, former Edo Commissioner for Information and Orientation,
Louis Odion, had raised alarm that the Onojie of Uromi threatened to
deal with him over an article he (Odion) wrote criticizing the
conferment of Adolor of Uromi on Mike Onolememen.
The People’s Democratic Party described the suspension as “senseless, unconstitutional and anti-people”.
State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih who is also the Esama of Uromi, said, “This recent action of the governor is a clear manifestation of what I said at that time.
“What Oshiomhole must come to terms with is that he has no
power, under our constitution and law to take the actions he has just
taken.
“If anybody for any reason was accosted by the Onojie, the
rightful place to report is the police station and the rightful thing
for the police as an institution to do if they found any truth, is to
take it to a court of law.”
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