Okuku Crisis: Community leader urges traditional ruler to address grievances

…allegations false, how can I set my Kingdom on fire – HRM

A community leader in Okuku Kingdom, Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State, Chief Sam Inaku, has urged the traditional ruler of Okuku Kingdom, His Royal Highness, Chief Odaji Ipuole, to urgently address grievances by his subjects that have thrown the community into crisis.

Chief Inaku who is the Director, Peace and Sustainable Development Initiative expressed concern over the issues allegedly behind the crisis.

He said the traditional ruler needs to proffer concrete and lasting solutions to address the issues for unity and peace in the Kingdom.

He said the traditional ruler who also was fingered as a major cause of the crisis over some yet to clarified allegations should put the peace of the kingdom above anything else by calling his aggrieved people to a round table to amicably settle those indicting issues raised by some youths in the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, according to him (Inaku), “The youths staged the peaceful protest against what they described as unbecoming of Ogamode Odaji Ipuole to address several cases of social malaise in the community which has taken a negative dimension.

“They gathered as early as 8am, marched to the palace singing songs and shut down the Chief palace demanding his response for total peace else the palace would remain shut.

“Chief Odaji Ipuole should be encouraged to develop these parameters for true peace to germinate. Peace does not lie in our mouths; it is determined by our attitude.”

However, the traditional ruler, Chief Odaji Ipuole, has denied being involved in the Ipuole Okuku community crisis, which on his part he vehemently refuted all the allegations leveled against him on instigating crisis in the Council Area over land matters.

According to him, he is not the brain behind Okuku crisis as being accused, therefore, asked how can he the traditional ruler set his own Kingdom on fire as the custodian of the traditional stool and Clan Head saddled with the task of creating peace and fighting crime and criminalities in his Kingdom.