Koton-Karfe Kingmakers rejects dethronement of traditional ruler

After few days, the Kingmakers of Igu and Koton-Karfe Kingdom have broken silence, rejecting the dethronement and banishment of Ohimege-Igu, Koton-Karfe, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Isah Koto, saying that they have never selected their king by political appointment.
The reaction followed the deposition of the monarch and banishment to Niger State by governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
Speaking at a press conference, at the NUJ Press Centre, Utako, Abuja on Sunday, all the ruling Houses and three surviving kingmakers of Igu and Koton-Karfe Kingdom described the action of the governor as a sacrilege on the Igu traditional institution which was unacceptable to them.

The spokesman for the ruling houses, Alhaji Kolo Yakubu Ameh said the purported coronation of another person as Ohimege will not stand, and called on the State government to reverse the purported deposition of Abdulrasq Isah Koto, which they claimed his deposition was politically motivated.

According to them, the installation of Ohimege 11 years ago was borne of cultural tradition, rather than political, insisting that his removal remain unacceptable to the Kingdom.

“After 11 years on the throne, you now came out to say that you want to depose the King without a fact. First year, second year, and now ten years after, this is injustice because politics is involved. We have never selected our king by political appointment.”

According to him, the reversal will save the age-long custom and traditions, from bastardization, particularly of their highly revered and respected Ohimege Igu Koton-Karfe Kingdom institution.
He said the deposition was an ugly political vendetta orchestrated by a few political Lilliputians with bloated images of their perceived personal self-worth.

The Ohimege Igu Alhaji Abdulrazaq Isah Koto who was also the Chairman, Lokoja/Kogi Local Government Area Traditional Council was deposed and banished to Rijau Local Government Area of Niger State by Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello on the 8th of January, 2024.
Reading from a text that was signed by the kingmakers, Ameh said,
“We the represensatives of all the ruling houses and the 3 surviving pout of the 4 kingmakers of Igu, Koton-Karge Kingdom Kogi Local Government Area of Kogi State wish to state categorically and most unequivocally our total rejection of the purported deposition of Alhaji Abdulrazaq Gambo Sani Isa Koto as the Ohimege Igu, Koton-Karfe and Chairman, Lokoja/Kogi Local Government Area traditional council.

“We have also rejected the purported appointment of an Ohimege during a proclamation on television and on the social media on 8th January, 2024 and since thereafter.
“It’s pertinent to state that out of the three royal fathers that were purportedly deposed and banished it’s only Alh. Abdulrazak Gambo Sani Isakoto that was replaced immediately by that proclamation with the speed of light. This smacks of abitrariness and punitiveness.
“What has happened on this vexed issue is an anathema and a real mockery of our centuries long and reverred kingship institution of the Ohimege Igu, Koton-Karfe and which if not urgently addressed poses great and imminent danger to our well respected and highly acclaimed kingship institution and the peace and tranquility of our very old kingdom.
“It is therefore imperative to use this medium to intimate the kogi state government, its agents and the general public that the capricious proclamation is unacceptable and rejected in its entirety as it relates to our dear kingdom and the reverred institution of The Ohimege Igu, Koton-Karfe.

“At this juncture, we wish to draw the attention of all Nigerians to the willful, calculated and capricious aberration and desecration of our traditional kingship institution which the kogi state government has wittingly embarked upon with the unjust purported removal and the hasty appointment of an Ohimege in order to serve the interest of few political jobbers.

“We therefore certainly consider the abominable deposition of our loving and well respected Ohimege, Alh. Abdulrazaq Gambo Sani Isakoto as an ugly political vendetta orchestrated by some political lilliputians with bloated images of their perceived personal self-worth.

Bello in the exercise of his power as governor also deposed His Royal Highness, Sam Bola Ojoa, the Olu Magongo of Magongo whom he banished to Salka, Magama Local Government Area of Niger State.

His Royal Highness, Samuel Adayi Onimisi, the Obobanyi of Emani, was also removed and deposed to Doko, Lavun Local Government Area of Niger State.

In what was believed to be a fallout of the recently held governorship election in the State which the APC candidate was declared winner, the Governor who felt betrayed by some of the traditional rulers, came up with the decision to depose them as punishment for their alleged partisanship.