By Goodluck Ikiebe.
The Edo state government has waded into the village head crisis in Ivhiarua village by ordering the Prosecution of Chief J.B Aloye over illegal Dethronement and Enthronement of a new Village Head.
The government on Monday ordered the prosecution of one Chief J.B Aloye from Avianwu Clan over the dethronement of Chief Jerome Itekpu as the village head of Ivhiarua and the enthronement of a new Village head against the state government traditional laws and edit.
Speaking on behalf of the state government in an enlarge meeting held at the instance of the Deputy Governor, Rt, Hon. Philip Shaibu, who had tried to appeal to parties involved over the illegality orchestrated by Chief J.B Aloye, but was met with dead end, due to outright refusal of Chief J.B Aloye submission to Edo State constituted authority, inadvertently led to his detention.
Given the narrative of the Clan, His Royal Highness, Jackson Etokhana said, “Avianwu Clan is made up of four communities namely: Ivhiarua, Ivhinone, Iraokhor and Ogbona.
These four male children are the direct biological children of the same parents (i.e. Anwu, the father and Aleokoko the mother).
The four communities uphold and practice the same cultures/traditions that bind them together as one indivisible entity. An entity with One Clan, One destiny.”
One of the cultures that binds them together is Okhei Traditional Title. Okhei Tradition is one of the most exclusive enduring social institution in Avianwu culture. Initiation into Okhei Title is the exclusive preserve of male (male children, youths and adults) only.
Initiation into Okhei Traditional Title is a traditional priestly ordination into priestly cult in traditional society, hence every Okhei Title holder is called and addressed as OBOH.
Okhei Traditional Title is so important to the culture of Avianwu Clan such that initiation into the cult is the most necessary and important qualification to the conferment of any of the traditional titles in the Clan that culminate in being enthroned an Okphe – Ukpi ( Ukpi Drummer i.e. Community Head), which is the apex chieftaincy title in Avianwu Clan culture.
This connotes that no one can be a traditional ruler if one is not an OBOH, that is Chief Priest. A male member of the traditional society, who is not initiated into Okhei Title is considered as a mere and mean man and of no value in the Land. Hence such man is called OGBARI. Any OGBARI cannot aspire to attain any social status and position such as Oghiebo, Utokho – Ukpi, Ogbor – Okpise, Priest nor Chief Priest to offer sacrifice to the gods, nor any other traditional political position in the Clan,” Chief Jerome said.
The meeting was attended by delegates from the four communities that made up the clan.
