How market leadership tussle demotes Akure’s Eze Ndigbo.
UNTIL last week, the Eze Ndigbo of Akure, Gregory Iloehike was a man
about town. He used to go about in Akure, the Ondo state capital with
all the paraphernalia of a traditional ruler and served as the voice of
the Igbo in the metropolis. But his over bloated ego of many years was
deflated when he reportedly “ disrespected the town’s monarch’’ by
uttering uncomplimentary remarks to the Deji of Akureland, Oba Aladelusi
Aladetoyinbo, who invited him to the palace in Akure to find a lasting
solution to a leadership tussle in a popular market in the ancient town.
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Oba Aladetoyinbo
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His activities in the past years failed to attract the attention of
past Deji of Akureland and this reportedly made him more powerful and he
began to wear beaded crown and other regalia of a traditional ruler. Vanguard learnt
that the leadership tussle in Mojere Market- the biggest spare parts
market mainly populated by the Igbo in the Akure metropolis exposed the
excesses of the Igbo leader and this ended up pitching him against the
Oba of the town.
Reports had it that Oba Aladetoyinbo in order to douse the tension in
the market sent an invitation to the Eze Ndigbo to shed more light on
the cause of the crisis and how to resolve it.
He was alleged to have kept the Oba waiting for hours and when he
eventually showed up reportedly wore a beaded crown and other
paraphernalia of a traditional ruler.
Vanguard learnt that the Council of Chiefs who were in the palace by
the time he came expressed concern over his appearance before the Deji
of Akureland. He was alleged to have addressed the Oba rudely and the
palace aides and some youths protested. The Council of Chiefs,
reportedly seething with anger, asked him if he could address the
traditional ruler in his home town the same way he was addressing their
Oba.
Irked by the disrespectful attitude of the Eze Ndigbo, the Deji
reportedly barred him from parading himself as Eze Ndigbo of Akure
forthwith. Vanguard learnt that the Eze was manhandled by some youths
who reportedly removed his crown and beads. He was said to have been
smuggled out of the palace by some Policemen.
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Eze Ndigbo of Akure, Gregory Iloehike: In a sober mood
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The news of his alleged maltreatment travelled like wild fire and
shops owned by Igbos across the state capital were shut for three
days. They marched through the streets protesting the stripping of the
Eze Igbo traditional title by the Deji questioning his power to dethrone
their leader installed by them and not Akure indegenes.
The Eze Ndigbo while speaking on his ordeal denied that he was rude
to the Oba. Iloehika said that the Oba invited him on Sunday and he
honoured the invitation on Monday only to be manhandled by the youths
who were mobilized to the palace to embarrass him.
“The youths tore my beads and removed my crown. They attempted to
beat me but the police officers at the palace rescued me,’’ he said. Vanguard was
informed that the Deji pointedly told Iloehika that he had nothing
against him and the Igbos in the town but that “erecting a palace and
being enthroned as a king here is an abomination to my heritage”.
The President General, Ohaneze Ndigbo, High Chief Okechukwu Okorie
vowed that; “Any attempt to dethrone the Eze Ndigbo would be resisted by
all the Igbos in the state.’’ Okorie said that Iloehike, who was
installed four years ago, did not disrespect the Oba, hence, the
traditional ruler had no power to dethrone him.
“Only the Igbo who elected Iloehike have the right to stop him from
being our Eze Ndigbo.’’ he said. Meantime, the state Council of Obas
chairman and the Osemawe of Ondo town Oba Adesumbo Kiladejo, is
expected to table the matter for the council to issue a resolution
that will curtail such excesses across the 18 council areas of the
state.
The Obas according to an aide to one of them who spoke with Vanguard in
confidence said that; “If the Obas fail to act now, they should be
ready for similar or worse insults in their various domains.
