At last, reprieve yesterday came the way of Onojie of Uromi, His Royal Highness, Anselm O. Aidenojie, who was deposed last year by the immediate past governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, on the eve of his departure from Government House, Benin City.
The embattled monarch was reinstated yesterday after being deposed over partisan politics in which there was an altercation with one Mrs. Betty Okoebor, a member of the APC in the state, and for also allegedly travelled abroad without the permission of the governor.
A letter signed by the then Secretary to the State Government, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, dated October 26, 2016, had announced his removal.
The letter was titled; “Suspension from Office as Traditional Ruler” and states that; “I write to convey to you the decision of the Edo State Executive Council at its meeting on October 26, 2016, deposing you as the Onojie of Uromi.”
The removal from office was based on, among other reasons; “Your unprovoked attack, inflicting grievous bodily harm on one Mrs. Betty Okoebor, on September 28, 2016 in full public glare to the embarrassment of those present and causing disgrace to your otherwise esteemed office.”
According to the letter, “Your refusal, even after two weeks, to respond to a query issued by the appropriate authority within the stipulated 72 hours demonstrating total disregard and disrespect for constituted authority; and “Travelling outside the country without appropriate permission in further demonstration of your disregard for extant regulations and laws.”
The state government said: “In the circumstance, the State Executive Council has arrived at a conclusion that these and other acts of misconduct of Your Royal Highness, the Onojie of Uromi, are not only distasteful, but also unbecoming of a traditional ruler of your status.”
According to the vital document; “Based on the above and convinced that your highness has denied yourself of the opportunity of entering a plea against the charges against you that were duly conveyed in writing to you, and therefore in exercise of the powers conferred on the State Executive Council by virtue of Section 28(1) of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Law (1979) and all other laws enabling it in that behalf, has approved your suspension from office as the Onojie of Uromi with immediate effect for a period of seven days, that is, from the 26th of October, 2016 to the 1st of November, 2016.”
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