Where Is The King Of Ogwashi-Uku?
By Michael Oba-Joseph
While the Palace Communications Directorate to His Majesty Obi (Dr) Ifechukwude Aninshi Okonjo II continues to dismiss allegations of murder, kidnapping, criminal conviction, and illegal dealings allegations against the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, as “recycled falsehoods” previously brought before the Delta State Government’s Commission of Inquiry, the Palace Communications Directorate recently, added that the allegations currently circulating online are part of a coordinated campaign allegedly sponsored by individuals who benefitted from irregular and unlawful communal land transactions in Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom over many years.
Though, other Palace sources say, the current attacks intensified following the Kingdom’s aggressive legal recovery of vast communal lands previously encroached upon by speculators and private interests after the recovery of over 2800 hectares of illegally sold land and recovered through the courts.
The statement by the Palace Communications Directorate also noted that the allegations against the traditional ruler are neither new nor credible, stressing that substantially similar claims were presented before the Delta State Commission of Inquiry approximately two years ago and were “resoundingly refuted and rubbished” during proceedings.
The statement added that the continued circulation of such claims after they had already been challenged and discredited demonstrates “a desperate attempt to malign the reputation of the traditional institution and weaken ongoing land recovery efforts aimed at protecting communal assets.”
As the Palace Communications Directorate continues to discredit the media reports on His Majesty Obi (Dr) Ifechukwude Aninshi Okonjo II, an insider in the Palace told this magazine reporter that, the king is worried about the happenings in his domain in addition to the recent demise of his brother, a Prince, as a result, he took ill over a month ago. This the magazine understood from Palace sources that the traditional ruler was to be flown abroad when he took ill but was later rushed back to the Palace. No one within the Palace has cared to make any public to the Ogwashi-Uku people the health condition of their king.
When the magazine Editor called to know about the Ogwashi-Uku King’s state of health, mum was the word. But from all indications, the king is expected to come out in August to visit major traditional places of worships before the commencement of the festival of the Ogwashi-Uku people which is expected to commence in August and running through October.
For now, only the Ogwashi-Uku Palace Communications Directorate can speak on the King’s health, but he was equally unreachable at the time of going to press. Time will tell.