Seimbiri Kingship Crisis: Edegbene Community Petitions Tompolo, Gov. Oborevwori, Nominates ASP Wariburua

By EgbemaVoice

Edegbene Federated Community has raised a strong alarm over alleged attempts by the Seimbiri Traditional Council of Chiefs to undermine the existing gazette and impose candidates outside the recognized ruling structure.

The community has called for urgent intervention from Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo and Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, insisting that due process must be upheld to prevent a breakdown of peace.

According to the community, it has duly nominated its legitimate son, ASP Eric Wariburua, as the king-designate in strict compliance with established customs and legal provisions guiding succession.

Tension is steadily escalating in Seimbiri Kingdom, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, as controversy deepens over the succession to the revered stool of Ebenanaowei (Pere), with strong resistance emerging from stakeholders in Edegbene community.

A prominent opinion leader, General Okunduopagha James, popularly known as Don Banky, firmly rejected the alleged candidacy of Mr. Joseph Edesemi Boson, declaring that he is not an indigene of Edegbene and therefore lacks both ancestral and customary legitimacy to contest for the royal stool.

Speaking on behalf of concerned sons and daughters of the community, Don Banky warned that any attempt to impose non-indigenes in the kingship process could destabilize the long-standing peace, unity, and traditional order of Seimbiri Kingdom.

“It is on record that Joseph Edesemi Boson previously contested a kingship stool in Tuomo (TT) Clan and lost to HRM Justice F.F. Tabai. At another time, he claimed affiliation with Enekorogha community. Now that the kingship has been zoned to Edegbene, he suddenly claims to be one of us. We categorically state that he is not from Edegbene,” he asserted.

He further explained that genealogical and customary records trace Boson’s origin to the Okpotiye lineage under the Dunogusu ruling house, comprising Omukorogbene, Okpotiegbene, Kemeseiseigbene (Opuruteigbene), Akpigebene, and Epamugbene (Boygbene)—none of which form part of Edegbene community.

Don Banky emphasized that Edegbene is neither a conquered nor subordinate group within Seimbiri Kingdom, stressing that the community has credible and qualified sons capable of occupying the throne without resorting to what he described as “borrowed identity or questionable indigene claims.”

Reinforcing this position, EG Legal Practitioners, acting on behalf of Edegbene leaders, have formally petitioned the Chairman of the Seimbiri Traditional Council, demanding the immediate halt of what they described as “illegal nomination, intention, and campaign” by Mr. Joseph Boson and Mr. Andrew Ebigbagha.

The petition, dated March 6, 2026, referenced the Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Edict of 1979 and the Declaration of Customary Law regulating succession, which provides for a rotational kingship arrangement among constituent communities.

According to the petition, following the demise of the last monarch from Okpokunou and the judicial autonomy granted to Oboro community, it is now the rightful turn of Edegbene to produce the next king.

The legal representatives warned that no individual is permitted to declare interest or campaign outside laid-down customary procedures, cautioning that such actions could trigger unrest and disrupt communal harmony.

They further alleged that both Boson and Ebigbagha have been falsely parading themselves as candidates from Edegbene, thereby misleading the public and heightening tension within the kingdom.

Raising fresh concerns, Don Banky called for urgent intervention from critical stakeholders to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

He specifically appealed to Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, the Delta State Government, and relevant security agencies to act swiftly.

“This is a sensitive traditional matter that must be handled with utmost care to avoid crisis. Immediate intervention is necessary before the situation escalates beyond control,” he warned.

He reiterated that Mr. Joseph Edesemi Boson should not be recognized or engaged in any capacity as a representative of Edegbene community in the ongoing kingship process.

Community leaders have therefore urged authorities to uphold established laws, respect age-long customs, and ensure that only legitimate indigenes of Edegbene participate in the succession process.

Observers warn that without prompt and decisive intervention, the dispute could escalate into a broader conflict capable of undermining peace and stability in Seimbiri Kingdom.