By Ovedhe Jerry.
Working activities were halted recently in the Delta State Deputy Governors office as Enwhe community protested to his office over an alleged imposition of a king on the community by the Isoko South Local Government Council Chairman, Hon. Malik Ikpokpo.
The protesters in the their hundreds who besieged the deputy governor’s office entrance gate with placards which display the following inscription: “We Don’t Need Efekodha as king, So he should keep away from Enwhe kingship”, “The local government cannot give us king, so no one should not impose any king on us”, “We don’t need a tyrant leader in Enwhe community”, “We know our king so no one should not impose any king on us”, amongst others, were singing songs of solidarity and demonstrating peacefully.
According Pa Silas Obo who spoke on behalf of the protesters, Enwhe community has chosen their king in between the two persons presented by the Erabe ruling family, noting that, who they chosen is Prince Julius Onobredefe Panama and not RT. Hon. Anthony Efekodha.
In his words: “We the people of Enwhe have resolved within ourselves and we have chosen who will rule us between RT. Hon. Anthony Efekodha and Prince Julius Panama. But the other person (RT. Hon. Anthony Efekodha) did not want to accept our decision. He is using his government power to oppress the whole Enwhe community and we say no to it.
We are peace loving community, and we don’t need war that is why we are crying to the state governor and the deputy governor to help us intervene in this matter. We believed in our customs and the norms of our land. We need somebody who is loyal and ready to serve his people not a tyrant leader and Prince Julius Panama is the rightful person we have chosen to lead us”.
The protesters also called on the Deputy Governor to advise the chairman of Isoko South Local Government council, Hon Malik Ikpokpo to withdraw his hands from the Enwhe kingship tussle, alleging that, “Hon. Malik Ikpokpo is imposing Rt. Hon. Anthony Efekodha on us as king, which we are all against”.
Responding to the protesters, the Area Commander of the State Police Headquarter, DCP Undie Adie who intercepted the protesters in the entrance gate to the deputy governors office, advised the protesters to channel their grievance in a paper and submit to the secretary to the deputy governor, noting that, the request will be given prompt attention.
Meanwhile the chairman of Isoko South Local Government Area, Hon Malik Ikpokpo denied the allegation levelled against him saying that, “the assertion is not true, I have never at anytime imposed traditional ruler on any community.”
