Ogwashi-Uku monarch lauds indigenes unity and peaceful attendance of Ineh festival

 Ogwashi-Uku monarch lauds indigenes unity and peaceful attendance of Ineh festival

By Ifeanyi Olannye

Ogwashi-Uku (Delta), Oct. 24, 2025 (NAN) HRM. Obi Ifechukwude Okonjo II,  Obi of Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom in Aniocha South council  of Delta has  commended the indigene and residents  for the unity, peaceful and for massively attending this year’s Ineh festival.

The Chief of Staff to the Monarch, Prince Onyema Okonjo, told newsmen on Friday at the Palace in Ogwashi-Uku while responding to the protest by a section of the community at Government House, Asaba on Thursday.

He said that the protesters should rather commend the Obi for the peaceful and united festival celebration which they never had since 2007.

He said that as an agrarian community, the festival marks the end of the farming calendar year and the beginning of a new year. So, the Obi performed the necessary rites to usher in the new calendar year.

He noted that the festival had since 2007 been celebrated by two different factions until the last which witnessed a single group celebration under the present Monarch, HRM. Obi Ifechukwude Okonjo II.

According to Okonjo, the festival which spanned over a week, came to an end on Thursday when the Obi performed the final ceremony to mark the end at the special ground in Ogwashi-Uku.

He said that while the Obi was performing the final ceremony on Thursday, the news filtered in that some persons from the community were protesting at the State Government House, Asaba against the  Ogwashi-Uku Monarch.

He said that the protest came as a shock, adding that those protesting against the Obi were the same people who had tried but failed to dethrone the monarch using  court process.

He said that the protesters had come up with many allegations that were not founded, adding that ; “He who alleges should provide a proof” but that they had failed to prove their case.

Okonjo noted that the monarch has every necessary document that bestowed on him the right to oversee the entire community land as the custodian, adding that never a time has the Obi asked  farmers to register before cultivating their lands.

According to Okonjo, some of the protesters failed to use the court to dethrone the Obi, now they have deployed the use of protests and other unlawful means to distract the community and the Palace.

“The Obi wishes to thank the Ogwashi-Uku indigene for coming out en masse to celebrate the Ineh festival. Those who missed the celebration, people in Lagos and even oversees are saying that they must attend the next year’s festival.

“For the first time since 2007, Ogwashi-Uku people came in their thousands to support the Monarch, we had a very wonderful celebration during the festival.

“We practice a land tenure system here in Ogwashi-Uku where the Obi is the custodian of the entire land, holding it on trust for the people. We remain law abiding and we have the legal documents that backs the Palace on this.

“As such, he(Obi) will not allow just a few people by virtue of the power and influence they wield to takeover the entire community land and deprive others from having access to land.

“As the custodian of the land, the Obi has right to know who gets what and who uses the land to ensure equity and fairness in the distribution.”

Okonjo, however, said that given the system of practice in Ogwashi-Uku, no individual has right to sell parcel of land that belongs to the community, adding that the monarch must give approval for the sale of lands.

The Chief of Staff to the Monarch challenged anyone to come with any proof  that the Obi sold or acquire large parcel of land to anybody or for himself in any part of the community.

According to him, the Obi will continue to exercise his leadership to the fullest in the kingdom.

Okonjo said because the protesters have failed to remove the Obi through the court, they have resorted to using the back doors to incite the people, cause crisis and to make the community ungovernable.

“They lost at the High court, Appeal court and they reached their last bus stop at the Supreme Court, and the Obi has the courts judgment.

“On the Commission of Inquiry being set up by the state government to look into the land disputes in Ogwashi-Uku and environs, as law abiding citizen, we shall wait their recommendations,” he said.

He said that the focus of the Palace remained to develop the people and the Ogwashi-Uku community to ensure peace and security of life and property.

On the recoverd lands, the Chief of Staff to the Monarch, said the Palace must know who goes in to do what on the land and to ensure a proper planing to accommodate areas for farming, industries, schools, parks, market, recreational centers, hospitals, security, others.

However, Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of the state had on Thursday appealed to some protesting Ogwashi-Uku indigene to sheath their swords and embrace peace.

The governor, represented by his Senior Political Adviser, Sen. Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, assured them that their grievances would be addressed.

The group led by the Ogwashi-Uku Development Union (ODU) President General, Mr Patrick Osamor, protested to Government House, Asaba, seeking government’s intervention.

Osamor, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, cited grievances against the traditional ruler’s alleged involvement in land grabbing, contrary to customary land administration by village chiefs and ‘Diokpa’.

“Land grabbers sell land without Diokpa consent; they have recruited youths into a cartel for nefarious land deals,” Osamor alleged.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng).