L-R: APC Deputy National Chairman, South, Mr Segun Oni, National Auditor, Dr George Moghalu, APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun and Deputy National Chairman, North, Alhaji Lawan Shuaibu, during the APC National and State Auditors Workshop in Abuja, yesterday

As the Ad hoc Commit
tee on Chieftaincy of the Rivers State House of Assembly prepares to submit its report, the people of Ken-Khana Kingdom, have raised alarm over plans to downgrade its chieftaincy stool to second class.
The Ken-Khana people in khana Local Government Area of Rivers State raised the alarm and warned that the plan if carried out may create disaffections among the people.
They gave the warning recently in a communiqué issued after a meeting of Ken-Khana Kingdom Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs held in Kenwigbara district Council, following issues raised recently at the public hearing on the amendment to the chieftaincy law of Rivers State 2014.
The communiqué which was made available to The Tide and the Ad hoc Committee of the State House of Assembly, noted that Ken-Khana chieftaincy area is distinct and autonomous with its own administrative structure and status attached to the present incumbent ruler who was selected according to established procedures accepted by the people, adding that a submission by one Chief Suanu Baridam of Nyo-Khana Kingdom was misleading as they called on the State Assembly to discountenance the call to downgrade the stool of Kenwigbara.
The communiqué signed by Chief Ueyaagu Leyira, Chief Nwidag Anthony Bywhite, Chief Keenam B. Chris and the Secretary, Ken Khana Council of Chiefs, Chief Koko Stephen, explained that the stools of the Gbemene Ken Khana, Mene-Bua Bom, Mene Bua Baem, Mene Bua Yaasere and Mene Bua Kenwigbara were inexistence before the advent of colonial rule in Nigeria and were subsequently recognized by the Eastern Nigerian government and also accorded recognition as first class, second class and third class respectively by the Rivers State government.
The communiqué argued that there has not been acrimony among the incumbents on the status of any of the stools in the various communities of Ken-Khana Kingdom especially on the upgrading of the Kenwigbara stool to second class status, insisting that the incumbent, Mene Barile Y. Deebom, was duly selected, installed and coroneted by his people and given recognition by the Rivers State Government according to laid down rules and procedures of the laws and customs of the people.
The communiqué noted that the Gbenemene Ken Khana, HRM M.S.H Eguru Gbala 11 recommended the upgrading of the Kenwigbara stool to second class status and was accepted by the Rivers State Government.
According to him, “we are surprised that Mene-Bua Bangha, HRH Suanu Baridam who is from Nyo-Khana Kingdom area council whose area of jurisdiction does not extend outside his district council went on air and before the Committee on Chieftaincy Amendment Law 2015 of the Rivers State House of Assembly not only to cast aspersions on the status of kenwighara stool and its occupant, Mene Deebom with a view to deceiving the committee to down grade the stool”.
The communiqué, however, dismissed allegations that the elevation of the stool of kenwigbara to its present status has political motives, describing Chief Suanu Baridam’s submission as false, malicious, vexatious and capable of creating disharmony to satisfy his alter ego.
“We wonder why Suanu Baridam did not concentrate his energy on his Nyo-Khana Kingdom area where there is a new second class stool and was given recognition as Mene Bua Baa bringing the total number of tools to two than to dissipate his energies on denigrating the only one upgraded in ken-Khana area”.
The Communique however called on the state government and the state House of Assembly ad hoc committee to not only continue to recognize the kenwigbara stool as second class but to extend the upgrading exercise to Bua-Bom, Bua-Baen and Bua-Yaasere stools of Ken-Khana as second class.

Ike Wigodo