There is a looming crisis in Aboh Kingdom, Ndokwa East LGA, Delta state, over the choice of Obi Gregory Oputa (111) as king.
The enthronement of the new monarch has caused sharp division among prominent indigenes of the community.
The four quarters that produce the king are Umu Ogwezi, Umu Ossai, Umu Obi and Umu Ojugbele.
The new monarch, Prince Gregory Oputa, was enthroned as the 20th Obi of Aboh on September 15, 2024.
The Nation gathered that the crisis has pitted Hon Olise Imegwu, former Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Ajieh Ogwu, President General, Aboh community and the four quarters that make up the kingdom against the new king and some prominent traditional title holders in the community.
But the group backing the new monarch including Chief Paul Esumei, Ndanike of Aboh, Chief Ifeanyi Odili, Iyasele of Aboh, Chief Kenneth Odili, Ozeh of Aboh, and Isagba Ajieh of Aboh, Chief Chris Ogwu, in a statement yesterday, threatened legal action against any individual or group misinforming the public or casting aspersion on the new monarch.
They urged Aboh indigenes to support the new monarch.
According to them, “it is a thing of joy that His Imperial Majesty, Obi Oputa III has emerged in the person of Prince Gregory Oputa and it is our duty as indigenes of Aboh to accord him the respect he deserves as his subjects.
Continuing, “there is no dispute arising from the emergence of the new King, Prince Gregory Oputa as due process was followed before he was crowned as the King amid jubilation by the people of Aboh Kingdom.”
“Those who were interested in becoming the King should know that traditionally, the stool is no longer vacant as all the rites have been performed and it is impossible for us to have two Kings in Aboh Kingdom at the same time.
“We should also bear in mind that it is the exclusive responsibility of the King makers to select who becomes a King in Aboh and they have discharged their functions diligently according to the criteria based on age-long custom and tradition of Aboh Kingdom.
“We have implicit confidence in Obi Oputa III in his ability to take Aboh to greater heights; we are also praying that his reign will usher in a more peaceful and prosperous Aboh Kingdom for us to take our pride of place once again as a revered Kingdom in the world.
“For the few persons who are not residing in Aboh but are committed to sending out messages that there is crisis in Aboh over the Kingship, we advise that you should make efforts to visit home and see the joy on the faces of our people, and also, enjoy the peace that now pervades Aboh Kingdom.
“We also advise those few individuals, their cronies, media houses, including social media influencers, to stop all forms of actions that will cause disaffection in the Kingdom or project our King negatively before the world.
“From now on, legal processes would be instituted against any individual, or organisation that misinforms the public or casts aspersions on our revered Imperial Majesty, Obi Oputa III.
It will be recalled that Dr Olise Imegwu led a protest to Asaba, Delta state capital, denouncing what he described as the imposition of the new king on Aboh indigenes.
Imegwu said due process was not observed in the crowning of the new monarch and challenged the new king to show the world the video of his crowning and who performed the ceremony.