Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo has described an apology letter by the embattled traditional ruler of Uromi, the Ujoromi of Uromi, Zaiki Edenojie II, who was suspended for seven days, as half-hearted.
The Edo State Government had suspended the monarch for travelling abroad without permission and for an alleged attack on a woman, Mrs Betty Okoebor.
In a letter wherein the traditional ruler admitted to an “altercation” between him and Mrs Okoebor, entitled: “Letter of Apology to Edo State Government, Re: Suspension from Office as Traditional Ruler of Uromi Kingdom”, dated 28th October, 2016, he wrote: “Following the announcement of my suspension for 7 days from the throne of the Onojie of Uromi and the accompanying ultimatum, I wish to state that at no time did I intend to disrespect or flaunt (sic) constituted authority. I felt that the altercation on 28th September 2016 between me and one of daughters (sic) which I took to be a family affair, and which has been resolved, sufficed.
“Ms Betty Okoebor has since followed the custom and reconciled herself to the Throne as a daughter.
“I sincerely apologise to the State Government for not replying the query within the stipulated time and for not obtaining permission before I travelled outside the country and also for the resolved altercation between me and my daughter, Ms Betty Okoebor.
“Let me reiterate Your Excellency that I recognize and respect the authority of the Edo State Government with you, Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, as the Executive Governor, and I again pledge my unalloyed loyalty.”
It would be recalled that the state government had suspended the traditional ruler for seven days, through a letter signed by Secretary to the State Government, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, dated October 26, 2016, titled “Suspension from Office as Traditional Ruler”.
The government in the letter stated that its decision was based, among other reasons on the traditional ruler’s “unprovoked attack, inflicting grievous bodily harm on one Mrs Betty Okoebor on September 28, 2016 in full public glare to the embarrassment of those present and causing disgrace to your otherwise esteemed office;
“Refusal, even after two weeks, to respond to a query issued by the appropriate authority within the stipulated 72 hours demonstrating total disregard and disrespect for constituted authority; and
“Travelling outside the country without appropriate permission in further demonstration of your disregard for extant regulations and laws.”
A statement by Oshiomhole’s spokesperson, Peter Okhiria, on Thursday described the reconciliation between the monarch and Okoebor as “contrived”.
