— By Our Correspondent —
The embattled Olare-Aja (oldest man) of Koko community in the Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, Pa Richwell Atsenuwa popularly known as Papa Sunday Megberuwa, has petitioned the Delta State Commissioner of Police, alleging criminal breach of trust, subversion of his office as the Olare-Aja and criminal defamation of his character.
It would be recalled that Pa Atsenuwa allegedly resigned his position as the Olare-Aja of Koko in the presence of His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, the Olu of Warri, who had waded into the family squabbles in the community, following Pa Atsenuwa’s alleged suspension by members of the Iweroko and Ameren Elders Council, aka the Koko Elders Council, over alleged high handedness against him, whom they described as “autocratic, tyrannical and abusive.”
Speaking to Warri Mirror magazine on the condition of anonymity, a member of the Elders’ Council revealed that the embattled Olare-Aja was acting in a way that was unbecoming of an Olare-Aja hence, his action of sacking all Olori-Ebis (heads of various families) in the Elders’ Council was viewed as unconstitutional, void, laughable, out of place and preposterous.
“The Olare-Aja had on several occasions walked members out of his house during meetings and had also in other instances fought with members. Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, the Olu of Warri, had instructed that the former Olare-Aja met with other Olori-Ebis of the Koko Elders’ Council and resolve their differences before the 3rd of October, 2022 when he would meet with them again,” our source further stated, adding that “at the Olu palace, the former Olare-Aja Aja acted in a way that was unbecoming, right in front of the Olu who tried hard to contain his anger.”
“Unfortunately, the elders could not resolve their differences and upon which Pa Atsenuwa announced his resignation from the position of the Olare-Aja of Koko community and the Olu quickly appointed the next to the resigned Olare-Aja in terms of age, to take over as the new and de facto Olare-Aja of Koko community,” our source told us.
Warri Mirror magazine findings show that those currently in Police custody at Asaba on the strength of the petition by Pa Atsenuwa are Tosan Desmond Oyowe, Samson Ewetan, Freeborn Ebiyon, Godfrey Amorighoye, Tonukarin Ajafodin and others. They were whisked away from their respective homes in Koko at about 3:00 pm on the 12th of October, 2022 by a police team from the State capital.
One of those arrested, Samson Ewetan who spoke with Warri Mirror magazine shortly before the police interviewed him, alleged that Pa Atsenuwa was using police intimidation to launch himself back to relevance, having fallen out of fame amongst the people of Koko. According to Ewetan, all disbursements made, had the approvals of Pa Atsenuwa “as the then Olare-Aja and nobody subverted his position while he was still the Olare-Aja of Koko.”
“There was no money disbursed without his approving signature. How can the office of a deposed Olare-Aja be subverted? Those misleading the former Olare-Aja should desist from such wicked acts. Pa. Samuel Esijolomi Itor had since been appointed by the Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, to act in full capacity as the substantive Olare-Aja of Koko community. For me, taking those arrested on bail is the first thing. Then allow the police to do their investigation and what they think next.
“The former Olare-Aja, Pa Atsenuwa has no substance here. What he has alleged are watery and lack substance. He is part of the whole disbursement process, so what is he saying concerning the N100,000:000? Defamation is often easy to allege but difficult/technical to prove. He has alleged, so let him prove how his reputation was dragged down! On the issue of the breakdown of public peace/subverting his position as Olare-Aja, he has challenged the Olu of Warri who replaced him and he has to deal with that himself. In all, and besides the inconveniences that those arrested by the police might face in the next days ahead, l think the former Olare-Aja is only fighting back which is normal but, it’s certain that he will crash,” Mr Ewetan who represents Medu stock in the Koko Council of Elders said.
However, an independent investigation by Warri Mirror magazine suggests that Pa Atsenuwa may have been peeved among other reasons by the tag of lunacy being hanged on him by his perceived enemies in Koko community, which they successfully allegedly sold to the Olu of Warri to win him to their side. Perhaps this was what informed the decision of the Olu of Warri to order Pa Atsenuwa to subject himself to a psychiatric examination by a doctor that would be invited by the royal father. On the appointed day, the over 97 years old Pa Atsenuwa who felt this was part of the plans of his enemies and opposition to humiliate him out of his natural office as the Olare-Aja of Koko community, did not show up or submit himself for his state of sanity to be examined by the Olu’s appointed medical expert.
Efforts to reach Pa Atsenuwa, Pa Itor and the Director of Olu Palace Administration, Chief Clement Akpeto Maleghemi, for comments, proved abortive as calls to their phones were ringing at some point without response and not reachable at other times.
