Olusegun Samuel
There is palpable tension in Aghoro ll community of Iduwini kingdom in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, as indigenes and residents of the community went on rampage over the alleged plot by the state government to impose a king, which they alleged was disposed over financial recklessness in the community.
The protesters, who trooped out in numbers, reminded the state government, through the state Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, that their choice of King Afro Biukeme is non-negotiable.
They said Biukeme is the ruler they have unanimously chosen as the new Amananaowei of Aghoro II community.
The residents warned that any attempt to tamper with their choice would be vehemently resisted, and would definitely lead to another round of crises in the community.
The protesters said their action stemmed from the information they got that the state government had allegedly concluded plans to bring back the former traditional ruler, King Ojunkonsin Ibamughan, whom they had rejected.
They claimed they rejected King Ibamughan due to his alleged corrupt system and his failure to account for over N90 million belonging to the community.
The people of the community said instead of the former monarch to show remorse for what he did and tell the community on how he would refund the money, “he was boasting that he was untouchable and that he had people in government to protect him.”
During the demonstration, the protesters chanted solidarity songs and brandished placards with inscriptions such as ‘Deputy Governor, leave Us Alone;’ ‘We Can Settle Our Problem’; ‘We Have Chosen HRH Afro Biukeme as our King’; ‘No Going Back on HRH Afro Biukeme’; ‘The People of Aghoro II Community Have Spoken Loud and Clear’; ‘Bayelsa State Government, Respect Our Choice’, among others.
Speaking during the protest, their leader, Chief O. Bousine, said they began to smell a rat the day they were invited by the state Deputy Governor, Ewhrudjakpo, to the Government House in Yenagoa.
Bousine said: “I commend Senator Lawrence Egwhrujakpor for the way he started the process. But what we hear right now is very bitter. We are not going to allow him or any other person to impose the former king on us. Never! Somebody who could not give account of about N90million belonging to the community, and whom we have rejected, you want to bring him back?
“On what basis will that happen? Which law guides that? The same law that gives us the power to make our king also empowers us to chase him out when he goes astray. We have chosen our new king and he is HRH Afro Biukeme. We are not going back on that.”
Before protest, the Bayelsa State Government had directed the people of the community to maintain the status quo over the chieftaincy stool crisis.
It cautioned individuals and communities to resist the temptation of engaging in subversive activities aimed at dethroning traditional rulers whose chieftaincy stools have been recognised by law.
The deputy governor, therefore, directed all the parties involved in the Aghoro 2 community leadership conflict to observe the status quo with His Royal Highness Ojunkonsin Ibamughan still serving as Amananaowei pending the final determination of the issues raised at the meeting.
