Edo: Crisis Looms In Igbanke Over Alleged Hijack Of Throne
BEVERLY HILLS, CA, April 14, (THEWILL) â€' A big crisis is looming in Igbanke, a community in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State over the alleged hijack of the ancestral throne of the community by a moneybag described as an estranged indigene of the community .
The communìty ,in a petition to the Oba of Benin,is alleging that the throne was 'dishonestly' hijacked by the moneybag who has 'crowned' his younger brother as the king against the wishes of the community.
The community alleged that the traditionally recognised heir to throne, Prince Moses Omorodion,who is based in the United States was fraudulently 'swindled' off the throne by his uncle who they said has turned himself into a tyrant and 'demigod' in the community.
A petition by the Igbanke National Progressive Association (INPA), signed by Joseph Omoro and addressed to the Oba of Benin as well ©as Governor of Edo State, alleged that Prince Omorodion was 'swindled' off the throne due to his lo ng sojourn away from home.
The petition, copy of which was obtained by THEWILL, alleged that one Henry Omorodion, an uncle to the 'heir apparent' had ganged up with some persons to retain the possession of the throne after the demise of the traditional ruler,who is the father of the Prince .
The petition said the development smacks of greed, selfishness and wickedness as it queried the circumstance in which the said Henry allegedly 'swindled' his own brother's first son, Prince Moses Omorodion, of his ancestral throne.
While calling on the Oba of Benin to wade into the matter before it snowballs into a major crisis in the Kingdom, the people expressed worry that the said Henry has become a bully whose only preoccupation is to intimidate and frighten indigenes of the community instead of
contributing to the well -being of his people.
'How did Igbanke create a son that has become a thorn in her flesh? How did a son, who was nurtured, protected and even shielded from prosecution when he was in trouble so many years ago, now turn around to persecute an entire community that helped him at his darkest times of need?
'How can Igbanke continue to tolerate and live under his mercy? Surely, a great man is not judged by how many people he trampled upon but how many he gave a helping hand,' the petition said.
It also added: 'The indictment on Henry Omorodion is damning.
It is an irony that a man who owes the community a depth of gratitude for intervening when he was in troubled waters with the Nigerian Authority is now trampling on the community that saved him.
'How ungrateful and disappointing a person can be.
Anyone who can reach Henry Omorodion should inform him to free Igbanke from his clutches, the people's hearts are heavy and no one single individual is bigger than an entire community.
'This is INPA's appeal to Igbankes, friends of Igbanke, the Edo State government, Oba of Benin to help Igbanke people before this one man destroys an entire community.
'
Continuing, the petition said; 'We are also aware of the cash and carry justice that pervades our judiciary; we know that the police can be bribed and bought over but our hope lies on the will of the people to call a spade by its name, starting from those being used as stooges.
'Remember that money is not everything.
If you sell your conscience today, what about tomorrow? What happens when you become the victim and his axe falls on you?
'The praise singers should choose the side of reason and truth.
Our elders should apply wisdom and tell their son the bitter truth.
'
Also giving a graphic details of the development, a source who simply gave his name as Morrison said that the said Henry who allegedly installed his younger brother as the 'Enogie' has been engineering all sorts of unwarranted attacks against the Igbanke people particularly those opposed to his oppressive tendencies.
'This same man has created a lot of hatred and acrimony in his own immediate family.
As if his undoings are not enough, he desecrated the people's history dating years back by demolishing the palace and usurping the throne.
'What manner of a man will use money to bribe his way and swindle his own brother's first son of what rightfully belongs to him,' he alleged.
While lamenting the several atrocities committed against the community, Morrison who spoke in a telephone conversation said; 'He has forcefully acquired our farmland and left our community to die of hunger.
'Those who stand against his afflictions were severely harassed and arrested by military men from Warri.
'Kingship is never bought or handed over but dictated by our culture and tradition based on right of primogeniture; the right to the throne belongs to the first son.
'Henry Omorodion action is a desecration of our age long tradition.
Prince Moses Omorodion is the heir apparent to the stool of Igbontor-Igbanke and he remains the only one recognised by his people'.
While giving a chronological details of the development, Prince Moses Omorodion, who spoke in a telephone conversation with THEWILL said his late father who happened to be an elder brother to Henry Omorodion was the king of Igbanke and under the tradition and customs of the kingdom, after the death of his father, he (Prince Moses) was supposed to be crowned as the next king but he was allegedly swindled in the process by his uncle, Henry Omorodion.
Narrating the incident, Prince Moses said; 'When my father died, I was asked to stay behind in the United States because my uncle, Henry Omorodion, (aka Hensmor) was allegedly after my life and he was busy circulating pamphlets that my father was not from his father, so not qualified in the first place to be King.
'As if that was not enough, Hensmor went further to fabricate lies about the Kingdom and told the Benin palace ( referring to Oba of Benin) that in a certain village in Igbanke, there is no King and for this he was urged to make recommendations on who should be the king, from where he got to nominate his junior brother, Jerry Omorodion.
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'Henry Omorodion took advantage of my long absence from home, despite the fact that it was the same Henry Omorodion that encouraged my journey to overseas unknowingly to me that he has an agenda to deny me of my ancestral right.
'Hensmor is using his billions to intimidate me and my subjects.
In 2011,, I flee home and my uncle capitalised on it and his younger brother, Jerry Omorodion was subsequently crown as King (Enogie) of Igbontor/Idumuiru-Igbanke.
' According to the crown Prince, his uncle had told the Benin palace series of lies even to the point of 'bribing' the palace secretaries with car gifts and cash all in a bid to deny him the throne.
Several efforts made to reach Mr.
Henry Omorodion for his own side of the story proved abortive but sources close to him debunked all the allegations, saying the Igbanke people were at peace with the development .