Tension, Uneasy Calm Pervade Illushi Community Over Kingship Tussle
By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
Tension and uneasy calm have pervaded Illushi Community in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State as a result of tussle for the Onogie of Illushi Community.
The crux of the unfolding crisis is who occupies the position of the Onogie of Illushi community, a development that is capable of threatening the peace of the community if urgent steps are not taken to nip the situation in the bud.
As a result, a massive protest broke out in the community on Thursday when the people of the community embarked on a protest march to oppose and reject what they described as “imposition of a stranger on them as their king”.
The Nigerian Post reports that the Illushi protesters stormed the Secretariat Complex of Esan South East Local Government Area and the Office of the Directorate of State Security (DSS) in Ubiaja, demanding immediate stop to alleged government’s plan to install one Fidelis Okowele as the King of Illushi.
Armed with a letter of protest, the protesters said that “Fidelis Okowele is not a native of Illushi but from Onogolo town and hence, cannot become the Onogie of Illushi”.
“The Illushi Community vehemently oppose and reject the plan to install a non-native as Onogie on the good people of Illushi”; “We urge the Government to urgently take a second look at its plan and set the machinery of justice in motion against any plan to impose Fidelis Okowele as the Onogie of Illushi”, the letter said.
They called on both the Edo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the State Commissioner of Police to decisively intervene to forestall any possible breach of the tradition, custom, law and order, as well as, peaceful coexistence of Illushi Community.
The protesters insisted in their “letter of protest” that they have resolved as a community not to surrender to “unacceptable plan to install a non-native as the Onogie of Illushi which may result in crisis.”
The Vice Chairman of Esan South East Local Government Area, Mrs. Susan Otekpen received the letter of protest on behalf of the Chairman of Esan South East Local Government Area, Hon. Lius Imhandegbelo from the protesters who carried placards with various inscriptions.
Addressing the protesters Mrs. Otekpen and the Officer-In-Charge of Ubiaja Office of the DSS advised the Illushi protesters to conduct themselves in peaceful manner to forestall a breakdown of law and order and assured them that the matter would be channelled to the appropriate government quarters.