Women may be regarded as weak but when it comes to the issue of making men to dance to their tune, they are insurmountable. Through history we have seen how great men like Adam and Samson in the Bible fell because of women. The first world war which was fought between 1914 -1918, was caused by a woman. Even one of the kings of England at a time abdicated his throne because of a woman. The same history is now repeating itself in Ika kingdoms.
However the royal rumbles (crises) rocking some traditional palaces in Ika land over the issues of marriage, succession and total disrespect for their people, have continued unabated and have now taken its tow on the king of Igbodo, His Royal Majesty Nkeobikwu Osadume I, as his community has last weekend, suspended him for refusing to marry an Igbodo lady even when all attempts and appeals have been made to him by the people of Igbodo to see reasons with them. The suspension, Ika Weekly gathered might last up to one year and it might even lead to his eventual dethronement if he remains adamant to the demands of his people. The Igbodo community is demanding that HRM Nkeobikwu Osadume get married to an Igbodo woman or any woman from Anioma nation who will give birth to the heir to their throne and also disconnect himself from the Ebonyi State lady who he has married secretly in Asaba.
The suspension, Ika Weekly learnt has totally ostracized the king from his people, as he will not during the period talk to any Igbodo person, invite any one of them to his palace, represent them in public places or settle any dispute among them neither will any Igbodo person have any thing whatsoever to do with him. It was also reported that any Igbodo indigene who visits or has anything to do with the him during this period will pay seven goats, seven cartons of beer and a bowl of kola-nut.
According to anonymous community source, who is closed to the Royal House, the Igbodo community both at home and abroad contributed immensely to the education and up bringing of the Obi thinking he would grow up to become an educated and good administrator.
The Igbodo community endowed with both natural and human resources as depicted by its size, location and personalities wanted an educated and refined Obi, hence, they did everything within their power to make sure that their Obi acquired quality education. They did not stop at that, they enhanced his personality by building him a beautiful palace, bought him flashy cars with fat bank accounts and good monthly remuneration, all in a bid to enhance his personality and make him comfortable. Indeed, he was one of the luckiest kings in Ika nation because his subjects were ready, to go to any length to make him comfortable. Disagreements between the Obi and his subjects, Ika Weekly learnt started about two years ago, when it was discovered that the Obi had used the opportunity offered him to school in a university in the east to derail from the tradition of Igbodo by hooking up with an Ebonyi State lady, who he later got married to secretly in Asaba, the Delta State capital, and hired an apartment for her there in Asaba together with her mother.
The Igbodo community has since been waiting patiently for the Obi to reneged in his decision of marrying the Ebonyi born lady and also in the process appealing to him, only for the Obi to allow them to take a final decision on him as he was not going to dance to the wishes of his subjects as regards his marriage status, saying that he is the traditional ruler of the community, so he decides where he marries from. The Igbodo monarch secret wedding with his Ebonyi wife in Asaba, Ika Weekly gathered was witnessed by one of the traditional rulers in Ika land (Ika Northeast), who report said was the one guiding him on how to go about it in a religious way. When the people of Igbodo became aware of the secret marriage, according to a source from the community, the matter was taken to the Obi of Owa, who in his great wisdom tried his best to intervene but all to no avail.
The source said that about five �Disconnect� committees were set up with the aim of visiting the Eze of Amagu Ikwo in Ebonyi State, where the Obi’s wife hails from, His Royal Majesty D. I. Aloh, to request the Eze to intervene in the marriage problem by requesting the lady to drop the idea of marriage with the Igbodo monarch. Ika Weekly also reliably gathered that efforts of the Eze of Amagu Ikwo to settle the rift hit the rock as the supposed father of the Obi’s wife failed to respond to the invitation of the Eze of Amagu Ikwo, and at the same time insulted Igbodo people who they claim are standing on the way of their daughter from marrying the Obi of Igbodo.
According to the source, further efforts made to visit the lady in Asaba did not yield any result as community report has that the Obi sabotaged the mission by hiding the lady, claiming that she was not around. The community source further revealed that the Obi even questioned the community’s decision to see the Eze of Amagu Ikwo, describing it as an afront on him and embarrassment to his in-laws.
Other methods employed by the community to make the Obi see reason with them and marry an Igbodo lady were the setting up of a prayer committee, the mandating of the ogenes (elders) of the community to sought for solution in any way they can, and the Iyase�s request to settle the cold war between the Obi and the towns people, all these met a brick wall.
Another thing that aggravated the whole issue between the Igbodo monarch and his subjects was that of the Igbodo (orie) market which the king was said to be claiming ownership,thereby collecting all the revenues accruing from the market.
The community is saying that revenues from the Orie market which presently is the major source of revenue to Igbodo people should be for the people not the Obi, arguing that the Obis forcefully talking over completely or partly without the consent of the Obi- in council, and the elders of the community is a slight on them
The source further revealed that the suspension could be lifted any time within the one year if the Obi changes his mind and marry an Igbodo lady, as they will not allow the ancient kingdom of Igbodo to be relegated to the background by extral marital affairs from the Obi. The source further revealed that if within the one year of suspension, the Obi fails to make any u-turn, the community will have no option than to dethrone him.
However, all eyes are now on the Obi, who was crowned in April, 2009 amidst pomps and pageantry to change his mind and listen to his peoples wise counsel who have showered him with so much love, gifts and money since he ascended the throne of his fore fathers.
But the big question still remains, will the Obi surrender to the demand of his people most especially now that he has a degree in Law and his estranged marriage with his Ebonyi wife has produced a girl child? Nevertheless, the average Igbodo man or woman is praying that the Obi will change his mind for the overall interest of the kingdom. Time no doubt will surely tell.
Ikaworld.com
Leave a Reply