The Egbema Traditional Council has warned Napoleon Egin to stop parading himself as Agadagba-elect of the people.
In a statement signed by its Secretary, Chief Cyrus Olopele, the Egbema Traditional Council also called on Egin to apologize to the new Agadagba-elect, Meshach Ubabiri for addressing the latter as his subject.
The statement dated November 11, 2022 reads in full;
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“The attention of Egbema Traditional Council, Regency Council, Egbema Leaders of Thought, Ijaw Youth Council, (IYC) and the Women of Egbema has been drawn to a Publication made by one Napoleon Egin addressing himself as Agadagba-elect, thus he said;
“Certain activities taking place at Ajakurama wherein one of my subjects, Mr. Meshack Ubabiri was picked by persons not known to be Gazetted Chiefs of Egbema as a purported parallel Agadagba.
“These set of persons have made plans to take the said Meshack to the shrine with the aim of deceiving the general public that they have crowned him king.
“There is no place in the world where modern kings are installed with the use of force. While I shall not disturb the said Meshack Ubabiri over his right to worship the deity, I urge my teeming and peace loving people of Egbema to remain calm and allow the laws of the land to take its course. The kingmakers of Egbema have spoken long ago and it was loud and clear. All the documents are intact.”
Responding to the statement by Egin, the Egbema Traditional Council said;
“Ordinarily, Egbema Traditional Council, Egbema Leaders of Thought, the teaming youths and women would have not responded to the publication but because of the sensitivity of the matter and the reading public, hence the need to set the records straight.
“Egbema kingdom after following the due process in line with the custom and tradition of Egbema people and in conjunction with the enabling law regulating the selection and installation of the Agadagba of Egbema kingdom have decided openly in Ajakurama Community, the traditional headquarter of Egbema kingdom with over one thousand persons in attendance.
“It was a Jubilation and a dawn of a new day as Amb. Ubabiri E. Meshach emerged the Agadagba-elect of Ancient Egbema Kingdom.
The people of Egbema Kingdom in Warri North and Ovia South West Local Government Areas of Delta and Edo states respectively, selected Amb. Meshack E. Ubiri as the new Agadagba-elect.
The selection/presentation which was done at Ajakurama Town, the ancestral home of Egbema Kingdom had members of the Regency Council, Egbema Traditional Council, Egbema Leaders of Thought, Ijaw Youth Council, prominent chiefs, youths, women in their thousands in attendance.
“The rest is left for the priest and Okparans to exercise their functions, and you can see the priest who stood by him and they are the only priests who have the prerogative to perform such function as far as the installation of the Agadagba is concerned in this kingdom. The process is already ongoing.
“What we are after is for the new king to be installed in the customs and traditions of the Kingdom. The pere-elect has been handed over to the priests to do the rest and we will keep the public abreast of the processes.
“We use this medium to warn Mr. Egin Napoleon and his cohorts, if his eyes are not blind to see the open and peaceful ceremony, should not play down on the sensitivity and flexibility of Egbema kingdom on the subject matter.
Calling the Agadagb- elect as his subject is a complete disdain and dereliction and an affront on the entire people of Egbema kingdom.
“We advise Napoleon Egin not to embark on a fruitless journey, rather he should go to his endearing law practice, that he has already misdirected himself by dishonest and disbanded chiefs and shot his legs by allowing himself to be used by hungry elements.
“We therefore advise Mr. Egin Napoleon to tender an unreserved apology to the people of Egbema kingdom and the Agadagba elect, HRM. Amb. Meshach E. Ubabiri.
“We therefore, warn Mr. Egin Napoleon not to further parade himself as Agadagba-elect and take the Egbema Kingdom for a ride. The statement warned.”
