According to sources, the brewing crisis is linked to a Delta State Government Gazette dated December 23, 2020, which amended the customary law governing succession to the traditional ruler’s title in Oyede Kingdom, changing it from the long-established Odiologbo title to Ovie.
The people of Oyede community in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State have rejected what they described as an “illegal” kingship gazette, as tensions are reportedly rising over an attempt to use the document to alter the kingdom’s traditional leadership structure, SaharaReporters has learnt.
According to sources, the brewing crisis is linked to a Delta State Government Gazette dated December 23, 2020, which amended the customary law governing succession to the traditional ruler’s title in Oyede Kingdom, changing it from the long-established Odiologbo title to Ovie.
Sources within the community, who expressed strong dissatisfaction with the development, told SaharaReporters that a wealthy and influential individual allegedly leveraged government connections, in collaboration with a small group of community members, to secure the controversial gazette now fuelling unrest in the area.
The source said, "The Delta State Gazette of December 23, 2020, which amended the customary law regulating succession to the traditional ruler’s title of Oyede Kingdom from the originally existing Odiologbo-ship to Ovie-ship, is currently creating serious communal disagreement.
“There is this money bag in our community with government connection that is behind this new Gazette that is causing a serious problem in the community.
"He used his closeness to former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to carry out this atrocious act against his own community, just to install one of his cronies as the new king.
“This disagreement will soon degenerate into a full-blown internal communal crisis if not properly handled as some of the leaders are already doing. The majority of the entire Oyede clan are serious and vehemently against the deceptive Gazette brought to the kingdom for selfish reasons.
“This issue has caused somebody the community leaders to be remanded in Kwale prison by magistrate in Ozoro magistrate court.
"Those who are against the deceptive Gazette to change the Oyede Odiologbo-ship to Ovie-ship are being arrested and charged to court with different issues already withdrawn from the police by complainants.
“Police and the court have been compromised. The President General of Oyede kingdom, Ovedhe Akemu Nathaniel and others, Ezekiel Ogbeda, Johnmark Ogholi, Iduene Solomon, Usini Omorojor, Isaiah Ekaba, and Afor Isaac, were last week remanded at the Kwale prison by the Ozoro magistrate on different issues already withdrawn by the complainants and all because of their opposition to the Gazette."
A charge sheet obtained by SaharaReporters, marked MCZ/126C/2025, accused the President General of Oyede Kingdom, Ovedhe Akemu Nathaniel, alongside six others—Ezekiel Ogbeda, Johnmark Ogholi, Iduene Solomon, Usini Omorojor, Isaiah Ekaba and Afor Isaac, of criminal conspiracy and allegedly instigating intra-communal violence.
According to the charge, the accused were alleged to have armed themselves with guns, cutlasses, battle axes, clubs and other dangerous weapons and carried out an attack on Abighe Endurance and Omini Daniel Omuru at Ewokna bush in Oyede.
SaharaReporters learnt that the case, which had reportedly been withdrawn earlier, was allegedly revived under questionable circumstances, with claims that the police were compromised. The presiding magistrate of Magistrate Court 1, Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State, H.O. Enakpeya, last Thursday ordered the remand of the defendants at the Kwale Correctional Centre.
However, SaharaReporters further gathered that the President General and the six others were released from Kwale Correctional Centre on Tuesday afternoon.
An indigene of the Oyede community based in Canada, reacting to the development, condemned in strong terms what he described as the use of the police and the courts to persecute community members, saying, "We will not relent. We are not intimidated. We will continue to stand firm and fight for a better, just, and united Oyede.
“The triumph of oppression is always short-lived. Those having premature ejaculations because the governor decamped to their party in Asaba should continue to, who momentarily draws strength from Asaba, should continue to turn their promotions into instruments of intimidation.”
“Their influence is temporary, and their actions are being carefully observed. We remain resolute. We are watching." Moses said.In a letter of withdrawal titled “Application for Withdrawal of Complaint Against Ezekiel Ogbeda, Ovedhe Akemu Nathaniel, Johnmark Ogholi, Iduene Solomon, Usini Omorojor, Isaiah Ekaba, Afor Isaac and Their Cohorts in Oyede Community,” obtained by SaharaReporters, the complainants formally withdrew the case.
The letter, signed by O.K. Agbonze & Associates on behalf of Abighe Endurance and Omini Daniel Omuru and addressed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State CID, Asaba, Delta State, was dated February 24, 2025.
It stated that the withdrawal followed the intervention of well-meaning members of the Oyede community.
It said, "We have been briefed and our legal Services retained by Abighe Endurance and Omini Omuru Daniel both of Ubien Quarters, Oyede in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State who shall hereinafter be referred to as our ‘clients’ and we write based on their firm instructions and mandate as contained herein.
"We have our clients' outright instructions to withdraw the criminal complaint made against the aforementioned persons for investigation arising from the intervention of well-meaning members of the Oyede Community to make peace for the parties and for the matter in dispute to be resolved amicably.
"Owing to the above Intervention, we here by apply to your office to most humbly withdraw our clients' complaint accordingly and to further request that investigation in this matter and/or arrest be vacated in the interest of the settlement process between the parties to the case under reference.”
A committee report dated November 10, 2025, submitted to the Chairman of the Isoko North Local Government Council in Ozoro, Delta State, rejected the December 23, 2020 Gazette that altered the Oyede Kingdom’s succession system from the traditional Odiologbo-ship to an Ovie-ship.
The report, titled ‘The Report of the Oyede Peace and Reconciliation Committee’ and signed by its chairman, Jahswill Asaba; secretary, Dan Odhomo; and members Benson Emorariemu Eghaire, Prosper Nwaguzo, Okodhi Kingsley and Israel Sirkeke Arue, was obtained by SaharaReporters.
According to the committee’s findings, only the Oyede Clan Union has the legal authority to amend the Gazette.
However, the committee found that the 2020 amendment was carried out by three founding families through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by six individuals, without the approval of the Clan Union and through an irregular process. Although a review of the Odiologbo system had been approved by the Clan Union in 2016, the process was later suspended.
The committee concluded that the 2020 Gazette did not originate from the Clan Union, relevant reconciliation committees, alternative dispute resolution panels, or a High Court consent judgment.
Instead, it described the Gazette as the result of unilateral actions by a few individuals acting without lawful mandate or community authority.
The report declared the 2020 Gazette legally, customarily, and morally deficient, lacking legitimacy, due process, and popular acceptance, and noted that it had contributed to unrest and disunity within the Oyede community.