By Eben Enasco Kingsley, Benin City
Controversies has trailed the Coronation of Former Minister for Works and Housing, Arch. Mike Onolemhemhen,as the Adolor of Uromi Kingdom by the Onojie of Uromi, His Royal Highness Anslem Aidelojie at the ancient palace of Uromi, Edo State.
It is on record that the title, ‘Adolor’, was confide on the foremost Nigeria legislator and mover of the Motion for Independence, Pa Anthony Enahoro,in the days of the Western Region, and was gazetted in1979 in the Government Gazette of Bendel State, which inherited the authority of the Midwest Regional Government, the governing administration at the time Anthony Enahoro was installed Adolor of Uromi Recalling the Second Schedule (Section 39 (2) ) of the Edict, theAdolor of Onewa and the Adolor of Uromi was invested on The Late Anthony Enahoro and enlisted among the 48 Uromi Traditional Chiefs for the first time.
It was gathered that, the permission to use the name Adolor was granted by Oba Akenzua of Benin because it involved the use of the title of an Oba as it was forbidden to award the the title, hence waived to accommodate towering status of Anthony Enahoro who needed the chieftaincy to level up with his political peers at the Western Regional government when chieftaincy title became a measure of political worth.
In his tenure as Minister of Works, Dr. Onolenmenmen aggressively embarked on massive road constructions and rehabilitation across Nigeria.
According to him, 70% of all federal roads were put in proper place during his tenure. This was confirmed by the current Minister incharge of Works, from an opposition party – the APC, Babatunde Fashola SAN,who commended the previous administration for the giant strides inroad construction across the country.
Relatedly, an Iconic former governor of Midwest and Bendel states, Gen.Samuel Ogbemudia, described Onolenmenmen as The best Minister of Worksin Nigeria since IndependenceUromi people, the home town of the ex minister, have not hidden their admiration particularly for their illustrious son for his efforts at reconstructing and dualizing the famous Mission Road from Taxona Junction to Angle 90 Junction in Uromi and lighting it up giving theancient city a face life and a modern outlook.
However, excitement greeted the faces of the majority of Uromi people, Edo people and indeed Nigerians were informed at the development describing it as “well deserved”.
Contrarily, the Enahoro family seemed to be uncomfortable with this development as they claimed that the title was hereditary as such, itcan not be allotted to another lineage.
In a press release signed by younger Enahoro, Mr. Peter in National dailies, he ostensibly, asked both the Ojuromi of Uromi and Dr. Mike Onolemenmen not to go ahead with the coronation ,claiming that theeldest son of Pa Anthony Enahoro, Mr. Ken Enahoro, was the rightful heir noting that it was hereditary.
His words:“I advise the would-be recipient once more, as I’d previously done in private, that the title of Adolor of Uromi is hereditary and subject to the rule of primogeniture.”
In a swift response, the Uromi Traditional Council claimed that the Adolor title was not hereditary but honorary and that the Ojuromi, King, of Uromi was at liberty to award the title to a deserving son ofUromi.
He Stated, “The attention of the Uromi Traditional Council has been drawn to publications in some national newspapers Much as we are not inclined to joining issues with Mr Peter Enahoro’s vituperations on his wrongly perceived ‘injustice’ to Chief Anthony Enahoro, we are constrained to counter the brazen misconceptions, innuendoes, spurious and defamatory allegations purportedly made by Mr Peter Enahoro … that the Adolor title is not by primogenitor but honorary!
”The statements further disclosed that all the hereditary titles in Uromi Kingdom in order of placement include, “The Oniha, The Iyasele, The Ezomon, The Ezana, The Edohe (traditional head of Onewaprincipality) , The Uwangue, and the Edaiken, the heir apparent.
Even at the spate of the Enahoro family expressing concerns and opposing to the his coronation and restraining members of the publicto turn down invitations, it couldn’t however stop the coronation; as Dr. Mike Oziengbe Onolenmenmen, was on Monday installed the secondAdolor of Uromi Land thereby, bringing to an end the first Adolor ofUromi, late Chief Anthony Enahoro’s reigns.
