HIS ROYAL MAJESTY ALH DR AHMED TIJANI ANAJE MAY YOU LIVE LONG ON THE THRONE & MAY YOUR REIGN BRINGS PEACE AND PROGRESS TO THE KINGDOM
We need to engage in serious analysis of the Ohinoyi stool contest.
First, the office is not based on tradition or cognate history. The office is a creation of a British colonial warrant. It is from here that we can begin the diagnosis of the problem. There is no totem attached to it. No blue blooded princes to design succession.
The arrangement for succession is based on the five (5) royal districts.
I pray for peace in my fatherland. I pray for the reigning king HRM DR ALH Ahmed Tijani Anaje to succeed on the ongoing trial and make progress for our people. Sometimes, when you go to court, you get judgement rather than justice. God bless Ebiraland
Summary of the details on the Sack of Ohinoyi of Ebira land by a State high court in Lokoja.
1. Daudu Adeku-Ojiah, Hussain Yusuf and Abdulrahman Suberu vs Ahmed Usman Ododo(Kogi State Governor), Muzi Abdullahi(State AG) and HRM DR ALH Ahmed Tijani Anaje Ohinoyi of Ebiraland ).
2. The case started in Okene in December before it was transferred to Lokoja.
3. The three plaintiffs had pleaded with the court to make a declaration that the procedure adopted in appointing the 3rd Defendant to the throne of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland was wrongful, unlawful.
4. They also argued that the process was contrary to the Procedure of Ascension to the Throne of Ohinoyi of Ebira Land, Edict No 3 of 1997 guiding the appointment of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland
5. DECLARATION that the purported Ohi’s who participated in the selection, recommendation and the process leading to the purported appointment of the 3rd Defendant as Ohinoyi of Ebiraland are non-existent, null and void.
6. Governor Ododo, Mr Abdullahi and HRM DR Ahmed Tijani -Anaje had objected to the claims of the plaintiff, through their counsel, Muzi Abdullahi and Zakari Abbas, and had asked the court to dismiss the case for lack of merit.
7. Justice Salisu, in his judgement, upheld the prayers of the claimants and ordered HRM DR Ahmed Tijani Anaje to vacate the throne of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland pending a fresh selection by the kingmakers of Ebiraland.
8. Governor Ododo through the State AG has vowed to appeal judgement
*OHINOYI’S STOOL VACATION BY COURT : IN WHOSE INTEREST?*
“Wonders shall never end” – A philosophical quote
*Preambles:*
Monday 3rd February, 2025 was sarcastically hilarious in the anal of court judgement in Nigeria and Kogi state to be precise. The ascension to OHINOYI’S STOOL in Egbira land has always been done by the state government through a recommendation from the title holders – KINGMAKERS in the Traditional Council who are custodian of our cultural heritage and customs.
The stool became vacant after the transition of the late OHINOYI Alh. Ado Ibrahim of blessed memory who joined his ancestors in the great beyond. In one of my reminder write-ups titled “Ascension to OHINOYI’S STOOL there is particular ruling house” I made reference to a Kogi State Edit which stipulates that the STOOL shall be rotated among the five districts in Egbira land and that the kingmakers shall be the clan titled holders in the traditional council. The rotation signifies that no particular family shall make the STOOL as their family heritage for a single fact that Egbira nation was not operating a monarchy system and or dynasty style as the *stool* is opened to all bonafide male child of Egbira nation.
In the build up to the ascension seventy-one (71) people applied including a woman who was later dropped for non entitlement to the stool. In summary the committee made a recommendation to the state government and one of the recommended candidates was announced and crowned as the OHINOYI EGBIRA who happens to be HRM, Dr. Tijani Mohammed Anaje.
His choice by the state government was greeted with ovations, celebration and indeed atonement of the land for not creating a ruling house in Egbira land as indicated in the state edit and specifically my article as well.
From all indications, there were no complaints, protest or questioning from any quarters either by the co-contestants nor from any district among the five districts. I still remember that there was a weeklong celebration over his coronation with pump pageantry of mammoth crowd heralding a peaceful atmosphere and oneness of the people in the Egbira new dawn.
*WHAT ARE THE RATIONALES BEHIND THE LAW SUIT.*?
The big question is this ” what are the rationales behind the lawsuit”?
It is logical in law to file a suit to challenge the validity of an occurrence if such a person was a player in the matter he sued for. I knew that for a cross examination of a defendant in a case the prosecutor always ask the appellant what he stand to lose in the case he filed for since he was never a contestant or candidate for the vacant STOOL.
Be that as it may, the trial judge goofed in the judgement because the court did not award the STOOL to any other winner, it was a hanging judgement which is capable of throwing Egbira nation in a pandemonium situations that will in the end degenerated into breaking down of law and order in our most peaceful land.
Leadership is a continuum, Egbira nation can’t afford a vacuum in her leadership to the good people of the land who care for peace, civic responsibility and seeking for their daily bread through hustling. From all fronts the judgement wasn’t against His Royal Majesty but he is the victim of the judgement being the one crowned through the state apparatus as the OHINOYI EBIRA at moment.
My dear good people of Egbira nation, I wish to appeal to our consciousness and socialization to keep maintaining peace, Harmony and total kinship amongst ourselves since the judgement in place is a mere comic and academic exercise to satisfy the author of the suit. There is 21 days windows of opportunity for Kogi state government to appeal against the ruling and be reverted to its original position.
Egbira will forever witness total peace now and forever. There will be no judge in Nigeria and the state in particular that can toy with the peace Ebira is enjoying in this dispensation. The judgement shall not stand because it is erroneous, lacks merit and collaborative with some enemies of the land. It’s purely a vendetta judgement against the state for a selfish incoherent desire.
In conclusion, OHINOYI still remains our paramount ruler till the determination of the appeal court. I therefore, enjoin all Anebira to continue going about their legitimate businesses and maintain law and order as a peace loving people.
Nature doesn’t support vacuum. Ebira nation can’t be an exception.
Long live Ebira National
Long live Kogi State
Long live Nigeria.
