Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi has approved the appointment of Mathew Alhaji Opaluwa as the new Attah of Igala.
He was, until his appointment, a deputy director at INEC, where he worked for over 30 years.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mohammed Onogwu, confirmed the appointment on Monday in Lokoja.

Mr Onogwu said the appointment followed Mr Opaluwa’s nomination by the kingmakers and a committee set up by the state government.

He added that the governor and his cabinet members gave the approval at the sixth executive council meeting held on Monday.

The appointment followed the demise of the late Attah of Igala, Michael Oboni, who died in an Abuja hospital on Aug. 27, 2020, after seven years on the throne.

Mr Opaluwa was appointed following his nomination from his lineage, Aju-Ameh Achor Ruling House, in line with the law, culture and tradition supervised by the Igala Area Traditional Council.

His nomination followed a long process in which a choice had to be made between him and his siblings (Prince Samuel, the oldest male and Prince Ocholi, the youngest male).

The Attah-designate was born into the late Opaluwa Oguche Akpa family and is the ninth of 16 surviving children.

Mr Opaluwa attended St. Boniface Primary School, Idah and obtained his first school leaving certificate in 1975 and the West African Schools Certificate (WASC) at St. Peter’s College, Idah, in 1980.

He also attended the School of Basic Studies, Ugbokolo, in 1981 and obtained ‘A’ level papers in 1983. That same year, he gained admission into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and acquired a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Business Administration in 1986.

Mr Opaluwa also acquired a master’s degree in Business Administration from the same institution in 1997 and started work with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 1988 as an administrative officer.

(NAN)