Ekpeye community stool vacant, as regent resigns

The Regent of Ekpeye Kingdom has resigned a few months after taking over the administration of the kingdom, citing commandeering of the appointment procedure of a substantive king by double-dealers.

HRM Nye Otuwarikpo, Nye Udu Upata III of Upata Kingdom was appointed regent in line with the provisions of Section 4(1) of 2010 Ekpeye Bye-Law and approved at a joint meeting of the Eze Ekpeye Logbo in-Council and the Ekpeye Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs upon the death of His Imperial Majesty, Eze Robinson O. Robinson.

However, some individuals within the kingdom allegedly hijacked the process of appointing a substantive king for the Ekpeye kingdom, causing misunderstanding in the ruling class.

Special Assistant, Media/Publicity to the regent, Oyagiri Monday, in a statement, said: “Though the regency, traditionally would have lasted for one year upon confirmation, the unnecessary rush to litigate and the court judgment afterwards, delayed the process and the optimism that a new Eze Ekpeye Logbo will emerge seamlessly through known customs and tradition faded.”

“Even the proactive intervention of Governor Nyesom Wike was clearly misunderstood. The biased interpretation gave room for forces outside the traditional institution to hijack the process without observing basic principles of cherished custom and tradition.
Affront

“The height is the recent botched attempt to elect or select a new Eze Ekpeye Logbo III, indeed imbalanced and discomforted administration in Upata kingdom.

“It has been well-nigh impossible for the regent to continue; and upon deep reflection and partial to his personal values and wide consultation, he has formally resigned his position as regent to the stool of Eze Ekpeye Logbo immediately, at a joint meeting of the Regency Council and members of the Ekpeye Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs on Monday, March 14, 2022.

“He could no longer bear the rot, the stench and the obvious hypocrisy that pervades the landscape. The indefinite postponement of the election of Eze Ekpeye Logbo III, therefore, is one pill too difficult to swallow by the Upata Traditional Council and the good people of Upata Kingdom.

“His resignation will allow ample time for the Nye Udu Upata III to concentrate on issues of Upata Kingdom. Clearly put, it has been the desire of the Upata people that their King should focus on Upata as his primary responsibility.

“As a fact, he accepted to serve as regent for the greater good of Ekpeyeland, it was an opportunity to deploy his endowments, and his patriotic zeal was not in contest during the period”.

“In view of the regent’s resignation, the Regency Council is herewith, also dissolved. All activities of Ekpeye Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs are also suspended, and the Executive Committee and Ekpeye Ethnic Nationality Customary Arbitration Panel are disbanded,” he said.