A total of seventy-five individuals, among them a female professor named Angela Okatahi—the first female professor in Egbiraland—have filed for the position of Egbiraland’s paramount ruler.
This came after the state government decided last week to start the succession process to the Ohinoyi stool by forming a committee through the office of Barrister Salami Ozigi, Kogi State’s Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Among the early contenders to express interest is professor Angela Okatahie, the first female professor in Egbiraland, according to the list provided to our correspondent on Monday.
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Philip Salawu, a former Kogi State deputy governor, and Muhammad Sani Omolori, a former clerk of the National Assembly, are among the other applicants.
However, our correspondent learned that the Kingmakers might choose Dr. Ahmed Tijani Muhammad, the Ohi of Okengwe.
The Ohi of Eganyi, Alhaji Musa Achuja, has assumed the role of Vice Chairman of the Ebira Area Traditional Council in lieu of the Ohi of Okengwe, who resigned from his position and filed for the Ohinoyi’s Stool.
On Sunday, October 29, 2023, Dr. Ado Ibrahim, the fourth Ohinoyi, passed away. He was buried on Monday, October 30, 2023.
In order to install the new Ohinoyi, Kogi State Governor Alhaji Yayaha Bello, whose term expires on January 27, 2023, has put mechanisms in place asking interested parties to submit letters of intent.
According to PUNCH, as Egbiraland has no governing houses, anyone can run for the stool as long as they meet the requirements,as long as the person is a native-born citizen.