Bayelsa Community In Turmoil Over Traditional Stool

 

 Agbere community of Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has  recently been embroidered in  misunderstanding  over  who emerged as  the new Paramount ruler (Amanaowei) of the community.

Three contestants in the election namely, Chief Reid Arubeingha Aladei, Julius Kinluck Torunariagha and Abidde Ekpodowem had indicated interest to contest for the exalted seat but  there was an  allegation that  the acting Paramount Ruler of the community,  Chief Kennedy Odiowei to vacate the throne and the Secretary Agbere Community Council of Chiefs, Chief Don-Felix Alale were reluctant to conduct the election to that effect.

 They however called  for a meeting at the  Town Hall  and allegedly to presented false information to the Community.

The contestants  it was learnt approached a competent court in  accusing the Chiefs and the acting Paramount Ruler, Chief Kennedy Odiowei  of attempting to deliberately delay the election so that his tenure  extended.

They sought the court to issue an order compelling the Electoral Committee headed by Dr Tarila Nikade not to postpone the election indefinitely. 

According to the Claimants, in a law suit  with no: BYHC/SHC/CV/32/2025, in paragraph 19  of the statement, it states thus: “Regretably, the claimants have discovered that a meeting was held on the 8th of April 2025 in Agbere Community by the Defendants where it was discussed and agreed that the said election scheduled to hold on the 26th of April 2025 be cancelled or postponed indefinitely in order to allow the 1st Defendant more time to remain as the Acting Amamanaowei of Agbere Community”

"Paragraph 23 of the same statement of claim states that “Claimants averred that they are seriously aggrieved by the action of the defendants and that it is only an order of court that can compel the defendants to conduct the election on the 26th of April 2025 as already scheduled.” 

Already, there seems to be delay in the court proceedings with conflicting appearance of counsel to one of the claiimants (Abidde Ekpodowem) who stated that he was not a party in the suit and requested for his name to be struck out, which the judge obliged and adjourned to next day for continuation of hearing. 

There was a twist on the following day with the appearance of a counsel to Arc. Dr. Oyinmiebi Bribena, who filed an application to be joined to the suit as an interested party. 

He argued that Arc. Dr. Oyinmiebi Bribena had already instituted a motion in Suit No: BYHC/SHC/CV/30/2025 which had already come up on Friday 11th April 2025 seeking for the postponement of the Agbere Amananaowe Election. The application was turned down. 

The Presiding Judge adjourned the suit till Monday 28th April 2025 (which held on 29th May 2025), to give the defendants opportunity to be heard in the interest of fair hearing. The case has been further adjorned to 9th May 2025 for hearing.

Meanwhile, prominent sons and daughters of Agbere Community are allegedly mounting pressure and calling for the removal of the Acting Paramount Ruler over alleged complicity in the rising threat to peace in the community.

According to those calling for the sack of the Acting Paramount Ruler, he was allegedly  unable to defend all allegations levelled against him by the contestants and Indigenes of the community.

According to one of the Indigenes, (names withheld), " shockingly, the Agbere Electoral Committee Chairman released a statement on  various social media plaforms and whatsapp groups including PH Agbereowei, Agbere Keniwenimo and Agbere Progressive Forum that  allegedly lied to Agbere Community and the general public that it was Arc. Dr. Oyinmiebi Bribena and Hon. Jonathan Hamo law suites that caused the judge to give a restraining order to stop the Agbere election."

In the statement, it reads thus:

“AGBERE AMANANAOWEI ELECO

Greetings to all well-meaning  and illustrious sons and daughters of Agbere Community. We are sorry to bring to your notice that the election processes to the stool of the Amananawei of Agbere Community has been put on hold due to certain unforeseen circumstances.

"The major challenge was our inability to secure approval from the police to cover the election on the election day as that day coincides with the planned mega rally by George Turner and Co.

"Also, there are some legal issues from Miebi Bribena seeking to suspend the election indefinitely.

However, we are studying the situation  and consulting with relevant stakeholders on the way forward. 

"We regret the inconveniences this may cause the candidates and the entire community while thanking you for your patience and understanding, a new date will be announced as soon as necessary, Dr Tarila Nikade

Eleco chairman, 23.4.2025.”

Already the allegations and counter allegations of wrong doings have thrown up the controversy surrounding the death of Mr Clement Hamo. He was involved in the contest for the Amanaowei of Agbere stool at the time of his death.

According to those holding firm to the claim of suspicion on the death of Clement Hamo, "Most members of the Hamo and Bribena family are of the firm belief until proven otherwise that his abduction and gruesome murder is connected to the contest of the Amanaowei of Agbere stool."

"It is based on this conviction that the members of the family viewed with disgust the indecent haste with which the Leadership of the community attempted to commence the election of the Amanaowei of Agbere on the 7th of January 2025 less than 10 days after the discovery of the headless and mutilated body of our son Clement Hamo. The family therefore protested to the Amanaowei in Council."

They claimed that Mr Adagbanya Jonathan Hamo made several efforts to get the Acting Amanaowei and leaders of the community to initiate investigations on the possible cause of death of his younger brother whose abduction and murder took place in the community after attending a community function. 

"His overtures to the Acting Amanaowei and Leaders of the community did not yield any positive result. It is unfortunate that the Amanaowei in Council and leaders of the Community have not taken any steps till date to unravel the mystery surrounding his gruesome murder."

"When it became obvious that the Amanaowei in Council and leaders of the community were more interested in conducting the Amanaowei election in which our late son would have participated instead of unravelling the mystery surrounding his death, Mr Adagbanya Hamo was mandated to Petition the AIG zone 16 to investigate the abduction and gruesome murder of our son."

" Instead of getting the cooperation of the leaders of the community to aid the investigation, the family has received aggression from certain quarters for reporting the matter to the police."

"Because of our firm belief until proven otherwise that the death of Mr Clement Hamo was connected to the Amanaowei contest and the hasty and indecent manner in which attempts were being made to fill the vacant Amanaowei stool without investigating the gruesome murder of Clement Hamo in Agbere town and to forestall future occurrences of such dastardly acts, Dr Oyinmiebi Bribena and Mr Adagbanya Hamo took further steps to initiate legal actions necessary to ensure that the family gets justice on the matter."

They accused the Electoral Committee of exhibiting alleged bias by not informing Agbere community about the real reasons for postponing the elections," You failed to inform the public that Chief Reid Aladei and Chief Julius Torunarigha sued the Electoral Committee and the Acting Amanaowei in suit No BYHC/SH/CV/32/2025 at the Bayelsa State High Court, Sagbama Judicial Division, complaining that the Acting Amanaowei wanted to extend his tenure in office by forestalling the election of a new Amanaowei."

" The reasons adduced in the Statement on Oath by Chief Reid Aladei on the matter clearly showed the reason why the matter was instituted. It had nothing to do with the matter initiated by Dr Oyinmiebi Bribena and Mr Adagbanya Hamo( see paragraphs 19 & 23 of the deposition on oath by Chief Reid Aladei on the matter). It is the fall out of this suit initiated by Chief Reid Aladei & 2 others that resulted in a Ruling by the Court to maintain the status-quo."

"This necessitated the indefinite postponement of the elections. Yet you did not make any reference to the suit initiated by Chief Reid Aladei and 2 others against you and the Acting Amanaowei in your press release on the postponement of the election. Why did you avoid stating this obvious fact in your press release?"

" This grave omission by you in not mentioning the main reason why the election was postponed shows that you cannot be trusted to conduct a credible election for the Amanaowei stool in Agbere."

" It was insidious of you, to mislead the unsuspecting public and try to cause disaffection against Dr Oyinmiebi Bribena and Mr Adagbanya Hamo in the community by creating the impression in your press release that they were responsible for the postponement of the elections knowing same not to be true."

" You also disrespected our families, by falsely deposing to an affidavit that Dr Miebi Bribena and Mr Adagbanya Hamo were acting in their personal interest and not the interest of our families in the matter they instituted against the electoral committee and Acting Amanaowei. That is most unfortunate. You are not a member of the Bribena or Hamo family and so had no authority to make such assertion."

It was gathered by newsmen that there was in another twist to the events during a meeting held at the Agbere Town Hall by the Council of Chiefs on Sunday, 27th of April 2025 and presided by the secretary of the Council of Chiefs, Chief Don-Felix Alale. 

Chief Don-Felix Alale reportedly informed members of Agbere Community that the Council of Chiefs, the Electoral Committee and the Contestants of the Amanaowei stool met and allegedly connived together for the Contestants to sue the Amanaowei and ELECO using the funds of the Community for that purpose.

According to those present at the said meeting, the Acting Amanaowei and The Chairman of the Agbere Electoral Commission were conspicuously absent," This direct admission of alleged conspiracy to commit fraud is very worrisome, scandalous and calls for investigation."

 Chief Don-Felix Alale, we gathered, also attempted to mislead the community on the reason for the postponement of the election.

However, Concerned Citizens of Agbere are also calling for the resignation of The Secretary of Agbere Council of Chiefs, Chief Don-Felix Alale.

A source, who is from Agbere community, It also appears that that the Agbere Electoral Committee Chairman is allegedly running a one man show probably aided by a sponsor who is interested in influencing the election in favour of a particular candidate.