By Nyerhovwo Oghenetejiri
Tempers rose just as tension and anxiety mounted in Agbarha-Otor kingdom, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State on Monday, September 30 through Tuesday, October 1, 2013 over an alleged plan by Owevwe community in the kingdom to install a parallel monarch on Tuesday to the Ovie of Agbarha-Otor, HRM Okorefe 1.
A trip by to the community revealed that preparation were in top gear for the alleged installation as there were banners and posters purportedly announcing the installation of HRH Osegbe Joseph Arhiakpore as the 14th Ovie of Owevwe kingdom placed at strategic corners in the community.
Information made available to Reformer revealed that Owevwe is a quarter in Agbarha-Otor kingdom, its head (Itsaborovie) is a representative of the Ovie of Agbarha-Otor, who is the paramount ruler, in the community.
A villager who pleaded anonymity alleged that some politicians from the area were supporting the agitators because the community is oil producing one, he called on the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, to intervene before an unimaginable crisis breaks out.
Further findings revealed that the Owevwe community wrote to the Directorate of Chieftaincy Affairs, Deputy Governor’s Office, Asaba, sometime past requesting for recognition of a new Owevwe kingdom and Ovieship (kingship) status just as they requested to be include in the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council.
And in reply, the Directorate, in a letter, dated June 12, signed by Ejumudo Kenneth, asked the community to get “minutes of meeting of recommendation from the Ughelli North Traditional Rulers and Chiefs committee” and “recommendation letter from the Ovie of Agbarha-Otor for Owevwe clan creation.”
However, HRM Okorefe 1, in a letter, dated September 5, addressed to the president of the community, said, “Owevwe is one of the villages in Agbarha-Otor kingdom, and a member of the Agbarho-Otor kingdom family. I wish it to remain so.”
According to the letter, “No good father tells his son to cease to be a member of his family. Consequently, I want to advise the Owevwe community to go about their legitimate business and as well, work towards the growth, development, unity and peaceful existence of Agbarha-Otor kingdom.”
The monarch cautioned, “Any further pursuit of your present course will lead to a breach of peace and pose a threat to the security of Agbarha-Otor kingdom. This needs to be duly and promptly corrected at this time.”
It could be recalled that Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, governor of Delta state called for the arrest and prosecution of anyone parading himself illegally as king in Oghara and Ughievwen kingdoms to serve as deterrent to others.
I doubt if the Ovie of Agbarha otor has any history of the Ovieship of Owevwe kingdom.History has that Agbarha is a fedarated clan made up of Ovie of Uhrude, Ovie of Onah and Ovie of Owevwe see the History of Urhobo written by a profound, Erudite Scholar and Avid reader. A formost sociologist Prof. Onigu Otite. Owevwe is not a quarter in Agbarha rather Eboruke who is the daughter of Ovwerhe and sister of Owevwe was married to Oghwoghwa and begot Ogor and Agbarha. So Owevwe first existed and uncle to Agbarha and Ogor who are both the Children of Eboruke(the dauhter of Ovwerhe and married to Oghoghwa). so owevwe kingdom have been in existence since the 13th century the reason we now have the up to 14th ovie in the kingdom, saying that owevwe has a paramount ruler is an aberation from the fact. Contact same author for more information prof. Otite onigu.