The Otota of Okere Urhobo Kingdom in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria, High Chief (retired Brigadier General) Gold Eburu has said due process was followed in crowning the new Orosuen of the Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Morris Ogheneochuko Eyekpimi, Owhotemu II.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports HRM Eyekpimi was crowned the Orosuen of Okere Urhobo Kingdom High Chief Eburu at the Orosuen Palace amid fanfare on Friday in the presence of other kingmakers and traditional chiefs of the Kingdom.
His ascension to the throne on Friday follows the passing of Sir Emmanuel Onobreyakpeyan Okumagba, Okumagba II, who joined his ancestors in 2022.
Eburu in his remarks explained that the crowning of the new traditional ruler of the Okere Urhobo Kingdom was done in due process and according to Delta State laws on the installation of a new King.
He disclosed that candidates from the ruling houses of the Kingdom (four from Olodi and five from Ighogbadu), except Oki ruling house, applied for the exalted position.
The Okere Urhobo High Chief said out of the lot, the six-footer, good-looking, lawmaker in Warri South Local Government Council emerged the Orosuen of Okere Urhobo Kingdom after a thorough screening of the contestants.
The screening exercise, Eburu said, included the state of health, among other qualifications of the contestants.
The Otota of Okere Urhobo Kingdom, after his pronouncement of the winner of the contest, then traditionally and formally asked if the choice of the young lawmaker was accepted and the Okere Urhobo people thunderously answered in affirmative.
Subsequently, HRM Eyekpimi, who hitherto bore the title of Oboriroro of Okere Urhobo Kingdom, was made to seat on the exalted royal stool where he was crowned in accordance with Okere Urhobo laws and customs.
Following the crowning, Eburu christened the traditional ruler title as Owhotemu 11 and then formally announced that with the crowning of the new Orosuen, he ceased to be the regent of Okere Urhobo Kingdom.
The President of Okere Urhobo Development Movement, Comrade Brume Eyekpimi who spoke to newsmen shortly after the event noted that the installation of the new traditional ruler was a new dawn in the kingdom.
TNG reports Okere Urhobo is one of the two Urhobo Kingdoms in the Warri metropolis, the commercial centre of Delta State. The other kingdom is Agbarha Warri Kingdom.
Sources disclosed that the government of Delta State will present the Staff of Office to the new Orosuen in the coming days.
