The Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Prof Epiphany Azinge, has warned that any Village Head, Diokpa Ogbe, who fails to attend the Asagba-in-Council Exco meeting three consecutive times will lose his position.
This may not be unconnected with the suspension of Diokpa Diali by the Asagba at the expiration of an ultimatum given to him to return home from his Lagos base to assume the headship of his village, after repeated calls and messages to him in that regard were disregarded.
He gave the warning when the spokesperson (Onu Diokpa) of Ogbeogo, Ogbueshi Chukwuma Ndah, accompanied by some other stakeholders, led the suspended Diokpa of the village, Azukaego Diali, to the palace to see the Asagba.
The monarch said the headship of any Asaba village was not for grabs, but a position filled through a rigorous process because of the seriousness attached to it.
Anyone chosen must show the readiness and capacity to lead his people aright. I have nothing personal against suspended Diokpa Diali. My interest is to have him play his role as the Head of the Ogbeogo village, which l insisted must not be by proxy, for the greater good of the community”
Asagba Prof Azinge thanked Diali for eventually returning home and urged him to settle down, interface with the critical stakeholders of his village and assume full responsibility for leadership, after which he should get back to him for the lifting of the suspension.
He said Diali’s case was meant to serve as a deterrent to other Village Heads, most of whom, he observed, were not regularly attending the Asagba-in-Council EXCO meetings, possibly because they were not home based.
The suspended Diokpa had told the Asagba that his inability to return as quickly as possible was not intentional, but on health grounds, and assured him that he was fully back to perform his duties.
