The Regent to the stool of Eze Ekpeye and Eze Igbu Upata in Ahoada East LGA Rivers state HRM. Nye Udu Dr. Felix Otuwarikpo has resign from his Position as the Regent to the stool of Eze Ekpeye.
His resignation was contained in a press statement issued on Monday by his Special Assistant on Media Monday Oyagiri.
The statement further directs the dissolution of the Regent council that was constituted following the demise of the former Ekpeye paramount ruler late Eze Robinson O. Robinson.
The statement reads:
“Palace Of Nye Udu Upata
Information Unit
Udhor Upata – Edeoha Town
Ahoada East LGA
Rivers State, Nigeria
Press Release
Otuwarikpo Resigns As Ekpeye Regent
HRM Nye Udu Felix Enene Otuwarikpo, Nye Udu Upata III of Upata Kingdom, was appointed Regent in line with the provisions of Section 4(1) of 2010 Ekpeye Bye-Law. The appointment was approved at a joint meeting of the Eze Ekpeye Logbo In-Council and the Ekpeye Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs upon the death of His Imperial Majesty, Eze Robinson O. Robinson,CON. They acted in conformity with the Bye-Law which provides that the next in seniority to the Stool of Eze Ekpeye Logbo becomes Regent upon the death or incapacitation of a reigning Eze Ekpeye Logbo.
Though the Regency, traditionally would have lasted for one year upon confirmation, the unnecessary rush to litigate and the afterward Court judgement delayed the process and the optimism that a new Eze Ekpeye Logbo will emerge seamlessly through known customs and tradition faded.
Even the proactive intervention of Governor Nyesom Wike was clearly misunderstood. The bias interpretation gave room for forces outside the Traditional Institution to hijack the process without observing basic principles of cherished custom and tradition. The height is the recent botched attempt to elect or select a new Eze Ekpeye Logbo III, indeed imbalanced and discomforted administration in Upata Kingdom.
It has been well-nigh impossible for the Regent to contnue; and upon deep reflection and partial to his personal values and wide consultation, he has formally resigned his position as Regent to the Stool of Eze Ekpeye Logbo immediately, at a joint meeting of the Regency Council and members of the Ekpeye Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs on Monday,14 March, 2022.
He could no longer bear the rot, the stench and the obvious hypocrisy that pervades the landscape. The indefinite postponement of the election of Eze Ekpeye Logbo III therefore, is one pill too difficult to allow by the Upata Traditional Council and the good people of Upata Kingdom.
His resignation will allow ample time for the Nye Udu Upata III to concentrate on issues of Upata Kingdom. Clearly put, it has been the desire of the Upata people that their King should focus on Upata as his primary responsibility.
As a fact, he accepted to serve as Regent for the greater good of Ekpeyeland, it was an opportunity to deploy his endowments, and his patriotic zeal was not in contest during the period.
Since then, it has been a slug of hard work, sacrifices and battles. Nonetheless, we were able to push through within the Regency period to achieve traditional amnesty for 443 Ekpeye sons and daughters who renounced cultism and surrendered their weapons; inaugurated the Ekpeye Rehabilitation Committee to assist reintegrate repentant cultists, mop up remaining small arms and light weapons but some disgruntled elements went to court and stopped corporate organizations from buying into the peace process; some Ekpeye sons and daughters got employed/contract by his recommendation; we stalled value eroding and rebranded the battered image of Ekpeye Ethnic Nation as a cesspool of various criminal activities.
In view of the Regent’s resignation, the Regency Council is herewith, also dissolved. All activities of Ekpeye Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs are also suspended, and the Executive Committee and Ekpeye Ethnic Nationality Customary Arbitration Panel are disbanded.
The former Regent thank God for the opportunity given him to serve, appreciates his brother Kings, members of the disbanded Executive Committee and the entire people of Ekpeye Nation who in one way or the other gave him unalloyed support.
Comrade Oyagiri Monday
SA on Media/Publicity
14/03/2022
