Senior Advocate Of Nigeria ( SAN ) J.S Okutepa has reacted to the appointment of New Ata of Igala.
Mr J.S. OKUTEPA, SAN whose reactions identifies the politics, abuse of Igala’s Stool and underlying issues that accompany the appointment has this to say:
“It is no longer news that Kogi State Government has announced the appointment of new Attah Igala.
In the video making round on social media, it was announced that the Governor of Kogi State has approved the appointment of Prince Alaji Matthew Opaluwa Oguche as the new Attah Igala.
Before I say what I set out to do in this write up, let me congratulate Prince Alaji Matthew Opaluwa Oguche for being found worthy to be appointed Attah Igala and to sit on the seat of our forefathers.
No doubt there are controversies surrounding the appointment of the new Attah Igala.
I am not going to engage myself in thees controversies. Whether it ought to be another Prince from Aju-Amachor Dynasty who should have been chosen is certainly not my concerns here. No that controversies should not be my concern.
I have sufficiently written and guided all on the correct procedures and processes to follow when this processes began.Those who can remember can recall what I said then.
As a member of the Royal family of Attah Igala, a bonafide Prince of Aju-Akogu Dynasty, my worries on this occasion is in the manner and mode of announcing the approval or appointment of new Attah for the Igala race.The stool of Attah Igala is a very revered STOOL
It is not a stool that should be trivialised and politicised. It is not a stool for novice in Igala cultures and traditions. I am not saying the person announced is a novice in Igala Cultures and traditions.
No I did not say so and I will not say so as I have no fact or evidence to reach such conclusion.
But the stool of Attah is a stool of the highest Igala traditions and cultures.
Posterity will not forgive anyone who belittled and reduced that mystical Stool and mystism in that revered traditional stool of the Igala race and our forefathers.
It was the stool Princess Inikpi Oma Ufedo Baba was buried alive to preserved. Ayegba Oma Idoko did a lot to keep the sanctity of that hallowed stool rooted in the rich cultures and traditions of Igala people.
Whether it is Prince Alaji Matthew Opaluwa Oguche or anyone from Aju-Amochor that is to be chosen and appointed Attah Igala, the government of Kogi must not treat that stool with disdain and disrespect.
No one from the Royal family and indeed Igala race should be happy to see anyone in power belittling that stool.
The manner in which the Commissioner for local Government and Chieftancy Affairs of Kogi State made the announcement for the new Attah was so disrespectful of the revered stool of Attah.
For instance in the announcement, the Commissioner was struggling to understand himself. He struggled all through in vain to convince himself of the truth in the transparency in the procedures he said to have been adopted by the government of Kogi State.
He engaged himself in tales by the moonlight to highlight the procedures the Kogi Government followed which procedures the commissioner claimed followed due processes.
Watching the video the commissioner was at war with himself and he could not reasonably justified and situate within the traditional parameters the so- called transparent processed the Government of Kogi State adopted in selecting our revered father.
The commissioner had great difficulties in understanding himself and making coherent and sensible statement rooted in truth and integrity.
He struggled to come out of the procedures adopted such difficulties that he was unable to use correct tense and sentences in his announcement.
When you give baptismal name of right to what is wrong or where you struggle against the truth you will always find it difficult to be coherent and perfectly express your thoughts with clarity of purpose.It is difficult to know the ways of government.
Then to add pepper to injuries the commissioner had the temerity and enfontry to say that those who feel aggrieved can go to court and waste their time.
It is an insults to the collective sensibilities of all Igalas for us to watch our cherished Royal stool rubbished in political controversies.
No one should go to court.I will not encouraged it.
After all Prince Alaji Matthew Oguche is of the Royal family.
But the point I am making here is that the Igala race must sit up and see that it’s rich cultures and traditions are not sacrifice on primordial partisan considerations.
My admonition to all and the new Attah is that Igala race must come together to build a formidable house in unity of purpose to revive and revitalise our rich cultures and values.
While congratulating Prince Alaji Matthew Opaluwa Oguche for the very difficult tasks ahead of him, I want to remind us all that political class will be happy to see the stool of Attah and indeed any other stool in our State destroyed so long as that will satisfy their selfish desires and partisan interests.
I appeal to Prince Alaji Matthew Opaluwa Oguche to be humble enough as the father of all and get all the aggrieved members of his family together to plead with them to bury their hatchets and allow peace to reign in the overall interest of the Igala race and
Kingdom.
There is no doubt that many persons within Aju-Amachor Dynasty may be justiably angry. But in all only one person can be Attah from them.
There is a need for the new Attah Igala and the four ruling Houses to put their heads together and see that the stool of Attah is not rubbished. I plead that we should not allow that no matter the degree of annoyance in our hearts.
The four ruling Houses must unite to preserve the sanctity and integrity of the Stool of Attah.
Let the four ruling Houses unite to resolve the issues within the Aju-Amachor Dynasty”.
Congratulations to our new Royal Father Attah Igala.
