Kingship tussle: Tension mounts as Rumueme Kingdom rejects new monarch backed by Fubara

Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt

There is tension in Rumueme Kingdom in Obio-Akpor local government area of Rivers State, following the recognition and presentation of Staff of Office to His Royal Majesty, Ndamzi Nsirim as the New Nye Nwe Eli of Rumueme Kingdom by the Rivers State Government.

DAILY CHAMPION gathered that the people of Rumueme Kingdom has rejected the choice of the Government in Ndamzi Nsirim.

Apart from the rejection from the Rumueme Kingdom, the younger brother of HRM Ndamzi Nsirim , Andrew Nsirim has alleged that the newly recognised Nye Nwe Eli RUMUEME is not the biological son of his late father His Royal Majesty Omunakwe Nsirim popularly known as OCC, Apiti of Rumueme Kingdom.

Andrew Nsirim who made the disclosure on Wednesday after HRM Ndamzi Nsirim was recognized and given Staff of Office by the Rivers State Governer, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, said his father late Omunakwe Nsirim told him that Ndamzi is not his biological son which I also confronted him with.

He vowed to go to court to proof the paternity because he had pleaded with Ndamzi for them to carry out DNA test which he has refused.

Andrew Nsirim said what the State Government did is to bring shame to his father’s lineage, stressing that RUMUEME Kingdom has chosen former Obio/Akpor LGA Chairman, Prince Timothy Nsirim as their king and that the kingdom will go ahead with it.

Addressing the Press on Wednesday, the people also said the three families of Rumukpakani who are traditionally allowed to select the Nye Nwe Eli has selected Prince Timothy Nsirim as the Nye Nwe Eli of Rumueme by the customs and tradition of the land.

Chief Hon Asor Owhonda who represents the Owhonda family said what the government of Rivers State has succeeded in doing is to cause crisis in the Kingdom.

According to him, “traditionally, the Rumukpakani selects their king and present to the entire Rumueme Kingdom, which we have done but waiting for the 2nd burial of the late HRM Omunakwe Nsirim and the burial of the oldest man in the kingdom before the coronation of Prince Timothy Nsirim.

Also Chief Apostle Princewill Adiele who represents Orokpo and Kingsley Iheanyichukwu Wobo who represents Oro-Agbolu said the people are not happy with the recognition of HRM Ndamzi Nsirim by the government.

Both family heads said the selection of Timothy was done base on the tradition and customs of the people of Rumueme Kingdom.

They further explained that the State Government has no right or powers to chose who becomes their King, adding that they are not in support and not part of what they described as shame carried out by the State Government.

“The government wants to cause division in the Kingdom over the imposition of Ndamzi Nsirim as the New Nye Nwe Eli after the entire kingdom have chosen Chief Timothy Nsirim”, they said.

While the Rumukpakani Community Development Committee Chairman (CDC) Anderson Eluda further explained that the three families that made up Rumukpakani have chosen Prince Timothy Nsirim and that the People of Rumueme are solidly behind him.

Dr Barrister Amewhule Emeka Owhonda explained that what the government has done is an aberration which will commenced legal battle.

Dr Owhonda noted that Rumukpakani is the first son of Ebara community and have the traditional right to select the Nye Nwe Eli of RUMUEME Kingdom.

According to him, ” the three families that made up Rumukpakani have chosen Timothy Nsirim as their King as tradition demands, adding that what the Government has done is for legal battle to commence which we are ready.

It will be recalled that Governor Fubara on Tuesday afternoon presented certificates of recognition and staff of office to two first class traditional rulers, His Majesty, Marcus Oduma Woyike, Nye Nwe-Ali, Elele Okinali in Ikwerre LGA and Elele Alimini in Emohua LGA, and His Majesty, Ndamzi Nsirim, Nye Nwe-Eli Rumueme Kingdom in Rumueme, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

The Governor stated that what the Government was doing was to officially recognizing what their communities had done through the traditional process of selection and installation, adding that the stools were already recognised by law in the State.

The Governor urged the two monarchs to see their recognition as an opportunity to play their role in supporting good governance in the State while protecting the interest of their people, emphasizing the need to forgive those who may have offended them in the past, and ensure that all stakeholders are carried along in the scheme of things.

Governor Fubara said, “What we are doing here is just a fulfilment of what is already existing. The stool of Nye Nwe-Ali Elele has already been gazetted and existing. And the process for selection is already done. What we just did here is official government recognition”.

On the recognition of King Ndamzi Nsirim, the Governor said, “Fortunately, the stool that you are occupying was also recognized and gazetted by the previous (Nyesom Wike’s) administration. What we are also doing here is that after the process of selection of the new head (king), it is the duty of government to officially give you a letter of recognition and staff of office.

“So, what we are doing is not a new thing or creating a new stool, but recognizing what already exists. We are only bringing you into the Council of Traditional Rulers recognized by the government,” he stressed.