Prominent traditional rulers in Kula Kingdom in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State have condemned in strong terms a media report credited to HRH Amabibi Kroma Eleki, the Amayanabo of Sara Community which disowned some communities in Kula Kingdom.
The traditional rulers also expressed dismay over the claim by Eleki as the overall King in Kula Kingdom, stressing that he is only a third class traditional ruler in Sara community and not the whole Kula kingdom.
HRH Amabibi Kroma Eleki is said to have gone to an electronic medium based in Port Harcourt and disclaimed some existing communities in Kula Kingdom. He was also said to have claimed to be the paramount ruler of Kula Kingdom.
In a quick reaction to this statement, HRH King Hope Opusungi, the Amayanabo of Opukula community in Kula Kingdom while condemning the statement, noted that the matter is still in court and wondered why Eleki should discuss it in the media and called on the state government to call him to order for neglecting the court order, which he said amounts to contempt of court.
He stressed that those communities HRH Eleki neglected were in existence in the Kula Kingdom before the creation of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area.
Opusungi further noted that his claim as the paramount ruler of Kula Kingdom was not recognized.
He accused shell for not carrying the people of the area along in the scheme of things and urged them to change their pattern of administration.
In a statement jointly signed by thirteen prominent traditional rulers, youth leaders and some personalities in Kula Kingdom while condemning the statement credited to HRH Amabibi Kroma Eleki stated thus “The recognition of some of these satellite communities in Kula Kingdom predated the recognition of the Sara stool such as Adumu-Ama, Offoin-Ama, Bilema, Boro Ibiapu-Ama, Kongo-Ama communities, some of which are part of the 14 ancient independent communities whose leadership recognition predated Hon. Theodore Georgewill’s administration”.
The statement said because Eleki is incidentally the only state government recognized Chief in the Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council which is the precursor for the hatred meted on him by the Akuku-Toru Council of Traditional Rulers.
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
