OFFICIAL STATEMENT By Chief (Barr.) E. T. Opone, President General, Orogun Kingdom
On the Lingering Controversy Surrounding the Proclamation of Chief Andy Kayoma Osawota as “Ovie of Orogun Kingdom”
My attention has been drawn to a recent development in which, on or about the 7th of October 2025, Chief A. K. Osawota appeared in a video circulating online, publicly declaring himself as “Adaka I, the Ovie of Orogun Kingdom.” This action is a clear breach of the judgment delivered in Suit No. UHC/98/2024 by the High Court of Delta State, Ughelli Judicial Division, which firmly held that no individual or group may assume or confer upon themselves any title of headship of Orogun Kingdom without first amending the extant law governing its traditional rulership.
This unilateral declaration has understandably caused confusion within and beyond our kingdom. It is therefore important—as President General of Orogun Kingdom and a signatory to the Orogun Ovieship Committee Report 2024—to provide clarity on the matter in the interest of truth, peace, and the unity of our people.
From time immemorial, Orogun Kingdom has operated a gerontocratic system of governance, in which the Okpara of Umusu, being the first son of Orogun, serves as the Okpara-Uku of Orogun and the recognised traditional ruler of the clan. The current Okpara-Uku, His Royal Majesty Joseph Okorocha Emoghene Osuokpa I, was duly recognised and presented with the Staff of Office by the Delta State Government. That fact remains valid and binding.
I must state that I served as a member of the Chief Pius Ovbije–led Orogun Ovieship Committee, representing the Okpara-Uku-in-Council alongside Prince Ezekiel Oberhirhi, Omo Okpara of Emonu, and Chief Benson Ibeh, Secretary of the Council, and I was one of the signatories to its report.
The committee, which emerged as an outcome of the 2021 Orogun Kingdom Conference and was inaugurated by the immediate past President General, Chief Benson Ndakara, undertook extensive consultations across all subclans. Its findings reflected the desire of our people to modernize the traditional structure by adopting an Ovieship system while preserving the Okpara-Uku institution as the spiritual and ancestral head of Orogun Kingdom.
While it is true, as earlier mentioned by some stakeholders, that all subclans were directed to return home for consultations and report back, I must clarify that I am not aware of any final report presented by the committee chairman, Chief Pius Ovbije, showing a collective consensus of all subclans. As President General, I should ordinarily have been fully briefed on such a development, but that was not the case.
It also appears, regrettably, that certain meetings may have been held without the full knowledge of the general leadership, and this has contributed to the present misunderstanding. In my view, this undermines the transparency and collective ownership expected in a matter of such cultural significance.
Beyond the issue of the ongoing court cases, I must emphasize that any shift from our gerontocratic system must not be by stealth, convenience, or imposition. It must be the product of broad-based consensus, followed by the appropriate constitutional process—specifically, an amendment of our customary framework as recognised by the Delta State House of Assembly.
For clarity, I wish to restate the position of Chief Do-Good O. Efe-Nogo (JP), whose statement of 24th May 2024, while presiding as the Onotu-Uku of Orogun Kingdom at the presentation of the Ovieship Committee Report to the Okpara-Uku in Council at the palace of the Okpara-Uku of Orogun Kingdom, provides a factual guide to the process so far and the legal matters that followed. In his words:
“It is important to recognize that the resolution of the Ovieship is not solely dependent on my office; it is a collective responsibility that requires our united effort.
“I am fully aware of the various court cases that have arisen in response to the Ovieship Committee Report, and I urge everyone to continue exercising patience. By God’s grace, we are on track to install the Okpara-Uku and the Okpara of Imodje by August 2024. Once these crucial appointments are made, we can address the issues concerning the President Generalship and subsequently move forward with the Ovieship.
“The esteemed Chief Benson Ndakara inaugurated the Ovieship Committee, and their report was presented to the Okpara-Uku in Council. This report was then sent to the subclans for enlightenment and input, with a two-week timeline for feedback. The incoming PG will work with the Committee to collate these subclan reports and present the final version to the Okpara-Uku in Council for adoption.
“I appeal to our brothers and sisters who have taken legal action to give peace a chance for the sake of our kingdom’s development and progress.”
This position captures the legitimate process as it stands and confirms that the report has not yet been adopted as law in Orogun Kingdom. The procedure outlined by Chief Efe-Nogo JP, remains the only recognised path for implementing any transition to Ovieship, and no individual or group possesses the authority to preempt it.
To the best of my knowledge, the reports from the subclans—Umusu, Unukpo, Emonu, Imodje, and Ogwa—have not been collated or presented to the Okpara-Uku in Council for adoption.
I also wish to address a related issue: the allegation that Prince Dominic Emoghene, the Omo Okpara-Uku, once wrote to the Delta State Government seeking to transmute himself into the “Ovie of Orogun Kingdom” after the passage of his father. I personally confronted him on this matter, and he denied ever making such a request. I must place on record that if such an act had occurred, it would have been improper; I am, however, grateful that he denied it.
While I reaffirm my unalloyed loyalty to my father and boss, the Okpara-Uku of Orogun Kingdom, I also call on the Government of Delta State to issue its White Paper on the Onotu-Uku matter. The resolution of this question lies at the heart of several issues currently in contention.This moment therefore presents an opportunity to foster unity through the proper constitution of the Okpara-Uku-in-Council.
It is important to emphasize that my remarks are not directed against Chief A. K. Osawota personally. I have known him as a respectable professional and a calm personality, not one driven by desperation. However, the process that led to the purported proclamation falls short of the transparency and inclusiveness expected by our people. Our collective aspiration is for Orogun to transition into an Ovieship system at the right time and through due process, not through unilateral action.
As President General, my duty is to uphold peace, preserve our cultural order, and ensure that the will of the Orogun people is not subverted by individual or sectional interests. I therefore appeal to all sons and daughters of Orogun to remain calm and united. Let us follow the legitimate and orderly path already charted by our committee and endorsed by our people.
Orogun shall progress—through truth, respect, and due process.
Mi shegware.
Chief (Barr.) E. T. Opone
President General, Orogun Kingdom
Orogun, Delta State
9th October 2025