A former Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Professor Ndowa Lale has refuted the claims of Chief Ambrose Yaya to the chieftaincy stool of Agbeta-Ebubu Community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Professor Lale made this refutal in an exclusive chat with Kristina Reports whilst reacting to a publication on the Kristina Reports platform that addressed Chief Ambrose Yaya as Paramount Ruler of Agbeta-Ebubu Community.

“Chief Ambrose Yaya is neither a staff of Ebubu Community Secondary School nor the Paramount Ruler of Agbeta-Ebubu Community. His association with the institution and occupation of a room in the school where he carries on with all sorts of despicable, nefarious activities are illegal and condemnable….”

The university don, who referred to himself as One-Nkporon (spokesman) of Agbeta-Ebubu Community, stated that the crowned traditional ruler of Agbeta-Ebubu Community is Chief Prince Aforji Oluka.

“…the properly selected and crowned traditional ruler of Agbeta-Ebubu Community is Chief Prince Aforji Oluka who on 21st April 2024 was presented to HRH Emere G.Y Chinwi and HRM Emere P.O. Obele in their separate council chambers, who in turn accepted, recognised and admitted him into their different councils of chiefs….”

In a swift reaction, Chief Ambrose Yaya, while re-emphasizing his claims to the traditional chieftaincy stool of Agbeta-Ebubu Community, dismissed Professor Ndowa Lale’s refutal as unfounded and ill-conceived to the detriment of Agbeta-Ebubu Community.

He argued that Professor Ndowa Lale was never inducted into the Agbeta-Ebubu Council of Chiefs and therefore lacks the right to be part of the selection process for a paramount ruler for the community or speak on behalf of the Council of Chiefs in the community.

He argued that his coronation, which took place on Thursday, April 4, 2024, was done in compliance with Eleme customs and traditions of coronating the ‘next in line’ as paramount ruler following the burial of a deceased paramount ruler.

He said having served as deputy paramount ruler to the erstwhile Paramount Ruler of Agbeta-Ebubu Community, His Royal Highness, Chief Columbus Okazu, he was next in line to the chieftaincy stool.

When queried on why he was not presented to the Paramount Ruler of Ebubu Clan, His Royal Highness, King Emere Godwin Yorgba Chinwi, Oneh-Eh Eta Ebubu XIV, he alleged that the Paramount Ruler of Ebubu became biased shortly after the death of HRH Chief Columbus Okazu and gave support to those whom he claimed never liked the late Chief.

He alleged that Professor Lale created confusion as Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, wondering if he wanted to replicate same in Agbeta-Ebubu Community, challenging whoever was not satisfied with his claims to approach the court and seek redress.

On his part, Chief Prince Aforji Oluka, when contacted, affirmed his position as Paramount Ruler of Agbeta-Ebubu Community, alleging that Chief Ambrose Yaya, as Chief of Ekpapreo, worked with the erstwhile Paramount Ruler of Agbeta-Ebubu Community, His Royal Highness, late Chief Columbus Okazu.

He asserted that the position of deputy paramount ruler is alien to Agbeta-Ebubu Community, noting that when a chief dies, the position goes to the land priest for a year while the deceased chief is mourned and buried by the community.

The community, thereafter, reconvenes and coronates a new chief who takes charge of the community’s affairs.

He clarified that persons who took part in his coronation were chiefs in Agbeta-Ebubu Community and were traditionally empowered to do same and subsequently present him to the Ebubu Council of Chiefs.

Independent checks by Kristina Reports revealed photographs of separate coronation activities for Chief Ambrose Yaya, as well as, Chief Prince Aforji Oluka by different groups of Chiefs and Elders in Agbeta-Ebubu Community on Thursday, April 4, 2024 and Sunday, April 21, 2024, respectively.

But whereas pictorial evidence of the presentation of Chief Prince Aforji Oluka to Ebubu Council of Chiefs and Eleme Council of Chiefs exist, none was found for Chief Ambrose Yaya.