THE ‘emergency’ crowning of a day-old-baby as the Crown Prince of Igbodo Kingdom in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State, has raised dust in the community, as it was claimed that another woman, who is not an indigene of Igbodo, who was sometime ago driven out of the palace, had delivered a boy and a girl for the monarch.
While the Iyase of Igbodo (the traditional Prime Minister), Dr. Joseph Unomah, who was one of the natives in the forefront at ensuring that the Obi married an indigene, who will produce a heir apparent to the throne, insisted that the crowning was perfectly in order, another traditional prime minister in a neighbouring community in the state condemned the act, describing same as an exercise in futility.
The Onishe of Ubulu-Uku (traditional prime minister) and former deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Asaba, Chief Emma Ejiofor, said: “The Obi and the community are just wasting their time as there is a natural law of primogeniture coupled with the Nigerian Constitution. Their present efforts will amount to nothing and is in futility.”
His Igbodo counterpart, Dr. Unomah, said: “The children of the Obi of Igbodo including children whose mothers are not indigenes of Igbodo are of the royal blood and they are entitled to be addressed as princes and princesses. An heir to the throne is instantly crowned a crown prince on the day of his birth. This practice is in consonance with the custom and tradition of the land.”
The crown prince named Ugochukwu was crowned at St. Luke’s Hospital, Asaba, where he was delivered and is yet to be discharged from the hospital with the mother.
