Traditional Rulers Warn Against Crisis In Etche Communities

The traditional rulers in Okehi Kingdom, Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State have warned those fanning the embers of crisis  to stop forthwith and embrace peace for the development of the area.
Addressing journalists at the end of the emergency meeting held at Agbalu Community at the weekend, the general secretary of the group, Chief Longinus Njoku said the call had become imperative due to   clandestine moves by some people to cause crisis and mayhem within the kingdom.
Chief Njoku called on the State Governor Chief  Ezenwo Nyesom Wike and the chairman of the State Traditional Rulers Council, King Anderson Jaja, to call in particular to order, the Onyeishi of Etche, His majesty, E.M.B Opurum over his interferences in the traditional administration of the kingdom, and added that Okehi kingdom was an autonomous one created by the state government.
He averred that it was wrong for the Onyeishi Etche to install a chief in a kingdom that is not covered by his jurisdiction and added such an action was an affront against the people of the kingdom.
“Recently, the state governor admonished all traditional rulers in the state to ensure that there is peace in their domain and we have been keeping to that government directives. We declared a one year mourning period for our king who died three months ago and we directed that every chieftaincy coronation, installations and celebrations be put on hold till the end of the one year mourning period is over.”
“We are surprised that last week, Eze Opurum installed an ochimba from Obibi Community where we already have two Ochimbas in defiance to our council resolutions” he stated
The scribe Okehi kingdom of Traditional Rulers Council and chiefs opined that such act if not checked was capable of causing  crisis in the area and added the mourning period declared to honour the late king was binding on all sons and daughters of the kingdom
He called on the state government and all relevant authorities to call on the Onyeishi of Etche to desist from interfering and meddling in the affairs of the kingdom as such move would be resisted
The traditional rulers urged the people of the area to continue to remain peaceful irrespective of the provocation and noted that the people of the kingdom were noted for their peaceful dispositions