•Report by Kamil Opeyemi
The queried Kogi Royal Father,Dr.Abdul Rahman Ado Ibrahim,Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, has responded to the query letter issued by the Kogi state government over his absence during President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the state.
According to the monarch,there was no official letter addressed to him over the visit of the Nigerian leader.
On December 29, last year,President Buhari visited Kogi State to inaugurate some completed projects by the administration of Governor Yahya Bello which include the newly completed modern palace of the revered monarch.
During the visit,the monarch was allegedly absent at the reception, which resulted in a letter signed by Enimola Eniola, the state’s director of chieftaincy affairs,on behalf of the government accusing the monarch of intentionally acting to put Kogi in “grave disrepute”.
According to the letter which was dated Jan.5th,2022 said the traditional ruler showed disdain and disloyalty to the office of the governor, adding that an explanation must be provided within 48 hours on why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.
In his response to the query in a letter dated January 6, 2023,the monarch said he was kept in the dark from the reception arrangements of the President and he did not deliberately miss the event.
He added that he was unofficially briefed on the eve of the visit, with the programme directing that the president would be commissioning “another palace other than my current palace that I have been occupying since I was coronated in 1997”.
The letter read:”There was no official letter informing me about the visit of His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, commander-in-chief of armed forces, federal republic of Nigeria, regarding his visit on the 29th of December, 2022, to commission legacy projects executed by His Excellency Alh. Yahaya Bello, the executive governor of Kogi State,”
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“It was only on the night of 28th of December, 2022, you visited me at about 9:30pm and informed me that Mr President would be coming to Okene the following day to commission some projects and that I should stay back in my palace while the president will be coming to pay me a courtesy visit upon his arrival.
“On the 29th of December, 2022 at about 8:15am, I received an unofficial copy of the visit programme of Mr President and I noted that Mr President was meant to commission the Ohinoyi’s palace at 10:10am.
“This observation implied that Mr President was to commission another palace other than my current palace that I have been occupying since I was coronated in 1997.
“It is worthy to note that as the Paramount Ruler of Ebiraland, I have not been officially informed of the existence of any new Palace. I, therefore, prepared in compliance with your instruction to receive Mr. President as it is customary in our traditional institution and I quickly put together a memorium to present to him to appreciate his 2nd visit to Okene since 1985, when he was received by HRH the Late Ohinoyi of Ebira Alh. Sanni Omolori.
“I made an enlarged photocopy of the photograph of the visit close to the chair which I provided during the visit as attached.”
On why he missed President Buhari,the monarch said he was busy attending to the victims of the explosion when he was informed that Buhari had left the town for Lokoja, the state capital.
“I had just concluded preparations to receive Mr President when I heard an earth-moving bomb blast at the rear entrance to my Palace close to the new Mosque across the street at 9:00am,” the letter continued
“While I was in the Palace ensuring that the casualties of the unfortunate incident were being attended to, I was informed that Mr President had concluded his programme and departed to Lokoja.
“I also discovered that the main wall of the entrance to my Palace had been breached and all entrances to the Palace had been barricaded to make access to and fro impossible.
“I have been kept in the dark from the reception arrangements and necessary entertainment to welcome Mr President on his 2nd visit to Okene, and from extolling the pleasure of my dear people to receive him.
“I am not and have no intention to “exhibit deliberate attitude and actions regarded as bringing Kogi State and Ebiraland, in particular, to grave disrepute and regarded therefore as quite unbecoming of a revered Royal Father of my status”.
He described the accusation of disloyalty as unfair to his ripe experience and age coupled to his candid, royal dignity.
“All allegations referred to in your letter, especially Paragraphs 3 and 4 are very unfortunate and I regard the same unfair to my ripe experience and age coupled to my candid, Royal dignity, accepted here in the world internationally.”
The traditional ruler added that the state government is yet to offer condolences since the explosion.
“Finally, inspite of the aforementioned points,it is noteworthy that since the unfortunate incident on the 29th of December,2022, this letter of query is the first communication,written or otherwise from any official of the State to me, without any commiserations or enquiries about the unfortunate bomb blast that led to the intended distruption of Mr. President’s programme,loss of lives of innocent Ebira people,massive damages on my Palace and rancour within my domain.
“Nevertheless,I will continue to reign over the good people of Ebira land with good conscience and conviction,as I have done throughout my reign,” the monarch added