Query: Will Bello dethrone Ohinoyi in his last days?

His Royal Majesty, Dr Ado Ibrahim, a humanist, royal icon for all seasons, harbinger of unity who is well respected across the globe on account of his progressive mind not just for Ebiraland, but Kogi State and the entire country is undoubtedly facing hard times in the last days of governor Yahaya Bello’s administration.

The Ohinoyi of Ebiraland who was born on 7th February, 1929, [now 94 years] ascended to the throne of his forefathers on 2nd of June 1997, after the passing away of the former Ohinoyi, Alhaji Sani Omolori who ruled for 40 years and 40 days as Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.

In the last 26 years of his reign, Dr Ado Ibrahim has regurgitated the culture and tradition of Ebira which has no doubt earned the ethnic group respect across the world. By extension his incisive thinking for the good of Kogi, His Royal Majesty has contributed to the political administration of all the past and present governors of Kogi State.

A man of ‘primus inter pares’ who would not want to meddle into politics for any reason though, this attribute of him would definitely reflect in a well written tribute for him in future when he joins his ancestors, but for now, it appears, this is being misunderstood to be ‘disloyalty’ or ‘disrespect’, as quoted in a letter of query issued to His Royal Majesty by Kogi State government.

Ebira land, luckily, has a first class monarch in Dr Ado Ibrahim who has reconciled the aggrieved gods with the polluted land that eventually transmogrified into having a governor in the person of Yahaya Bello in his time. A deep thinker should applaud this!

It’s on record that Kogi Central Senatorial district, though, homeland to the State governor, recorded the highest number of insurgency attacks. Members of the dreaded Islamic State of West African Province [ISWAP] have infiltrated the land and have attacked government facilities, killed and wrecking havoc. This gives concern to all, but the most traumatised person is the Ohinoyi, given that the King’s peace is being disturbed.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Kogi State for projects inauguration on 29th December, 2022 was a good development, especially the only official assignment in Bello’s last seven years. The event was meant for good, but evil men turned it ‘into evil day’, by the bomb explosion at the Ohinoyi palace. It’s by God’s intervention that a handful of four persons died in the explosion, otherwise, it would have been more disastrous if the evil doers have succeeded as planned.

Having Ohinoyi himself escaped the explosion, may the King live long!
In my growing up as a child and now an adult, I got to know that tradition demand that government officials including the highest placed upon visit to the kingdom of a King proceed to the palace to pay homage.

In the case of Ohinoyi vs President Muhammadu Buhari, it was the State Governor who is hosting President Buhari that would have taken his guest to the palace to pay homage and where he will receive Royal blessings before proceeding to projects sites for inauguration.

The feeling that the King does no wrong stems from how the tradition works differently from how politics works. This could also be inferred from the content of the query that the alleged ‘disloyalty’ was the unavailability of His Royal Majesty to massage someone’s ego and not just about disrespecting Buhari.

Part of the query copiously reads: “In view of the above, I have been directed to request you to forward a written explanation within 48 hours why disciplinary action should not be taken against you for these acts of insubordination and disloyalty.

“Oral explanations may be required from you when a panel is set up to study your case. It is expected that you will accord priority to the content of this letter, Your Royal Majesty.”

In light of the above, one can sufficiently establish the fact that His Royal Majesty may have crossed the red line on loyalty to tradition rather than to politics.

Ohinoyi’s peaceful contribution to the administration of Yahaya Bello is superior to any imaginable sin, hence, the query may have been a wrong step at the wrong time, particularly in the governor’s last days in office.

Atekojo Samson Usman is a journalist and a public affairs enthusiast from Kogi State