Group calls for dethronement of Eje Ankpa over plan to introduce Fulani chieftaincy titles amid tension among royal families

The Uja’che Rights Group, a socio-cultural group has called for immediate dethronement of Eje Ankpa, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Ahmed Yakubu over plan to introduce and confer chieftaincy titles on Fulani people living in Ankpa.

The introduction of Fulani chieftaincy titles into Igala Culture by the Eje Ankpa, a strange development since the history of Igala land is stoking tension in Ankpa, particularly among the royal families, who insisted that it was not approved by the Ata Igala, His Royal Highness Mathew Alaji Opaluwa Oguche Akpa II.

In a statement which was released by the Chief Press Secretary to Eje, Rilwan Hamza on Tuesday, he disclosed that the monarch was set to confer titles such as Galadima, Turakin, Marradin, Danmasani on some personalities, a development that has never been part of Igala culture.

Reacting to plans to bring Fulani oligarchs into Igala Culture by the Eje in a statement by Uja ache Rights Organisation’s Director of Media and Publicity, Atekojo Samson Usman on Friday, they called on Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello to direct the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to immediately dethrone the monarch.

The call became necessary as tension was gradually building up preluding crisis among the royal families of Onu Ankpa, Onu Ogugu, Onu Imane, Onu Ojukwu, Onu Enjema and Onu Atabaka who are the royal lineage to the stool of Eje.

Uja Ache Rights Organisation revealed that a proposal to introduce Fulani oligarchy into the Eje traditional seat has been declined by the late Ata Igala, Dr Idakwo Ameh Oboni, wondering why the current Eje insisted on crowning Fulani settlers that would generate crisis.

In the similar vein, a group operating under the aegis of Ane Igala Restoration has rejected the conferment of titles on non-Igaala persons by the Ankpa traditional Council, recalling that Igala Kingdom fought the Hausa Fulani subjugation in the past.

In a statement which was signed by Salifu Oguche Usman, Deputy National Secretary and Apostle Ocholl Ekpe Odekina, National President (AIR), the group pointed out dangers inherent in crowning Fulani titles on personalities against Igala Culture and against the will of the ruling houses, stressing that it would breed anarchy in future.

The AIR called on Eje to stop the conferment of Fulani titles, noting that traditional rulers are the custodian of culture and going ahead would mean abuse of culture which will place Ankpa on a keg of powder.

Part of the statement which was obtained by CAPITAL POST in Lokoja on Friday read: “May we state in passing that the Ankpa traditional institution as personified by the stool of Eje of Ankpa was created by the Military Administration of old Kwara state in 1974 for the Atiyele ruling dynasty of the Igala Nation on the Eastern flank of Ane Igala.
“Historically, the stool was established by an Edict to assuage some feelings of non inclusiveness in traditional representation amongst the Igalas of the old Ankpa Division and meant to rotate amongst the oldest traditional stools of Onu Ife, Onu Ankpa, Onu Ogugu, Onu Imane, Onu Ojukwu, Onu Enjema and Onu Atabaka.

“Suffice to state that it was and it remains a wholly Igala stool with no Fulani affiliation or colouration whatsoever and that the subsequent balkanization of the old Ankpa Division with the creation of Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro respectively came with the replication of the Eje stool at Olamaboro which is to be rotated amongst the Onu Ogugu, Onu Imane and Onu Atabaka while Ojogba of ife retains the permanent leadership of Omala Eje stool. Eje of Ankpa remains rotational between Onu Ojokwu, Onu Ankpa and Onu Enjema.

“We wish to put it on records that the foregoing facts are contained in historical legal documents and that the continued monopoly of the stool of Eje of Ankpa by the offspring of the first Eje of Ankpa, Alhaji Yakubu Adaji is a mere happenstance and a gesture of unique tolerance and understanding by the contending ruling houses within the Ankpa traditional domain.

“If the foregoing historical account is well taken, Ane Igala Restoration wishes to state that she is bewildered by the action of the present Eje of Ankpa and the Ankpa traditional council who holds the beads of Ankpa people and Igala land but yet choose to wilfully concede Igala land to the Hausa Fulani oligarchy without any request or contention, by abandoning Igala traditional values, identity, ethos, spirits and mannerisms and in its place embracing those of the Hausa Fulani oligarchy.”