To foster peace, unity and purposeful co-existence of Ele people of Wakirike Ethnic Nationality after two monarchs emerged in the community, a five man arbitration panel was appointed. The panel after a long tortuous journey recommended as follows:

RECOMMENDATION REPORT OF KINGSHIP IN ELE KINGDOM FOR PEACE AND UNITY

New Ele Community should be encouraged to have a new life based on the cordiality and mutual respect that existed between the two founding brothers. Such mutual love and respect cannot be guaranteed through litigations, smear campaigns and political mud-slinging, but by embracing truth, sincere forgiveness and sacrifice. We therefore recommend as follows:

1. Both Felix Okuru Apina Group and the Fred Iyawo Tiene Perefi Group should sheathe their swords, embrace peace and work together for the sustainable development of the Ele Kingdom. They should keep to their word in the fear of God by making this Peace Arbitration a final port of call and deliberately put an end to all disputes by taking all subsisting cases out of court, and to chart a new course for their ancestral heritage.
2. Apina and Perefi descendants who are now settled in New Ele should be allowed to work together in order to give leadership to the Ele People. It is possible for the settlers in New Ele to reclaim and project the ELE CLAN identity as an autonomous community without ignoring their roots in Ogu Kingdom.
3. The idea of installing a Chief in Ele Communty only to serve as a SECONDMENT to another Chief of a War Canoe House in Ogu Kingdom (PEREFI-EPA/02/011/2019; APINA-EPA/01/006/2019 & EPA/01/026/2019) is grossly opposed to the philosophy and tenets of autonomy in community administration. We strongly recommend that the royal family of Apina and Perefi should come to terms with the fact that Ele Kingdom is not an annex to Ogu Town but an autonomous community as confirmed by His Royal Majesty, the King of Ogu Kingdom.
4. The present Ele Community is small both in population size and landscape, and may not be suitable for two Kings. Without any doubt, both Chief Felix Okuru Apina and Chief Fred Iyawo Tiene Perefi are bonafide sons of Ele Community. Their support base as well as oppositions has crisscrossed as well as polarized the entire royal family.

Again, the plea that Chief Felix Okuru Apina should not be installed as Chief in the ancestral name of Oruchina-Apina by a cross section of the royal family is as untenable as that of the claim that Chief Fred Iyawo Tiene Perefi is not an Ele son because his mother was fully married into Chiri-Polo in Ogu Kingdom. Whatever customary concession that was reached for him to be chosen, generally accepted and installed as Chief in Ele Town also qualifies him to be a full Ele son. By the same concession, it avers that the Tiene branch of the Perefi War Canoe House have both adopted and ceded him back to his mother’s ancestry in Ele Town.

To all intent and purpose, with all documents tendered, there was no communiqué or consensus deposing Chief Fred Iyawo Tiene Perefi as Chief by the Tiene Branch of the Perefi arm of the royal family. Yet there are documents tendered (PEREFI-EPA/02/005/2019) supporting his emergence as Chief as well as King (PEREFI-EPA/02/008/2019; EPA/02/009/2019).

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There are documents for and against Chief Felix Okuru Apina and Chief Fred Iyawo Tiene Perefi, but the content of all such documents have helped to further reveal the undertone of the disputes.
Therefore, to clear the present impasse, and to set straight the path of the order of ascendancy to the Royal Throne of Ele Kingdom, we have prayerfully opted to take our stand based on the words to wisdom drawn from an ancient WAKIRIKE adage that says: tari piri so-bo, piri omongi bo-e (the first man to access the forest, is king of the forest). In the circumstance therefore, we strongly recommend that whereas Chief Fred Iyawo Tiene Perefi is the fourth in line to be elected, generally accepted and installed as Chief, and apparently the longest serving Chief in the New Ele now alive; and whereas he was also the first to be elected and coronated as Amanyanabo in New Ele Town, his coronation should be sustained and recognized as the substantive Amanyanabo of Ele Kingdom.

In the same vein, we strongly recommend that Chief Felix Okuru Apina be recognized as Prince; not King-in-waiting, to avoid the likely emergence of another palace.

1. The Amanyanabo should urgently convene an “Ele Assembly” comprising of Elders and other critical stakeholders with the aim of initiation of an all-inclusive reconciliation.

Secondly, the Amanyanabo should endeavour to also harmonize all the existing Chiefs on both sides to form one united Council of Chiefs in Ele Kingdom.

Thirdly, the new leadership under the Amanyanabo should urgently reconcile the whole Ele Community Chiefs back to the Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area Council of Chiefs and the Ogu Council of Chiefs in particular to preserve and strengthen the old brotherly ties.

CONCLUSION

We thank the Almighty God for His unfailing grace, mercy and peace.
We also thank Chief Magistrate K. A. Braide Esq. for the privilege to serve in this capacity at a time such as this; likewise for your wisdom to initiate this Arbitration for the peace and progress of the land and people of Ele Community.
We sincerely acknowledge the humility, patience and cooperation of both Felix Okuru Apina Group and Fred Iyawo Tiene Perefi Group, all of the Ele Community. Their passion and determination to see a peaceful and progressive Ele Community has made this work both possible and enjoyable. We wish them the abounding blessing of God that will roll over from them on to their children and children’s children in their generations.
Howbeit, drawing from our collective experience as Ministers of God who are often involved with settling matters between individuals and communities, it will not be out of place to conclude that the issues among the Ele people never existed in isolation. Whenever the interest of an external autonomous community filters into the internal affairs of another autonomous community, there is more likely to be crisis. In this, the Ele community has been a victim of circumstance. We, therefore, enjoin them (the Ele Community) to live up to expectation by taking due responsibility over their internal affairs, and to guard it jealously as their collective destiny. We equally appeal to other autonomous communities within the Okrika nation, as well as other friends and neighbours to Ele, to please withdraw their interest (political or traditional) from the internal affairs of Ele Kingdom.
Life is transient; peace is priceless. To give peace a chance, is to preserve a future for the Ele Kingdom.
The Peace of God forever rest upon the land and people of Ele Community, in Jesus name, Amen.

BY…

Apostle Boma Fred (Member)
Apostle Promise Chiepaka (Member)
Reverend K. J. Ogan (Rtd.) (Member)
Bishop Williams A. Daka (Secretary)
Bishop Winston T. Iwo (Chairman)