The Kogi government is set to unveil a new Ohinoyi of Ebiraland out of the 70 contestants screened by a committee to succeed the late Ado Ibrahim, an official has said.

The deceased Ohinoyi died on October 29, 2023, after a protracted illness.

Yunusa Sule, the secretary of Ebiraland Traditional Council, confirmed this in an interview with journalists in Lokoja on Sunday.

“His Royal Highness, Alhaji Isa Musa-Achuja, the Ohi of Eganyi-led committee has finished its assignment by selecting seven qualified persons out of the 70 contestants screened,” he said.

Mr Sule gave the names of the seven as former deputy governor of the state, Philip Salawu; former clerk of the National Assembly, Barrister Ataba Sani Omolori; and General Yusuf Abubakar Amuda.

Others are Momoh Shaibu, Ibrahim Onuwe Abdulmalik, Ahmad Tijani Anaje, and Ahmed Momoh Jimoh.

The council scribe said the governor was appreciative of the work of the kingmakers’ committee and commended them for a job well done.

“Our state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, will within this week unveil a designate to assume the vacant stool of the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland.

“Already, the governor has held a meeting with the qualified seven aspirants recommended by the Kingmakers committee and from whom one would be appointed to take the stool.

“The governor had, during the meeting, urged the aspirants to display the spirit of good sportsmanship by supporting whoever is appointed by the government,” Mr Sule said.

According to him, the governor also cautioned them against divisive statements and actions capable of disrupting the peace of the land.

The number would have been 71, but the 71st person is a female, Angela Oregwu-Okatahi, who, by Ebira tradition, is not eligible to contest for the stool

The 70 eligible contestants were from four of the five eligible districts in Ebira land, comprising Okewe, Ohema, Erika, Aganiye and Adavi.

However, Adavi was left out since the late Ohinoyi was from there.

(NAN)