Igala Group Goes To Court To Stop Kogi Governor From Dragging Attah Igala Into Politics

The Ane Igala Restoration (AIR), representing the Igala nation globally, has filed a lawsuit against Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, in an Abuja High Court seeking to stop the state government from dragging the Atta Igala into partisan politics.

The group has accused the governor of involving the Atta of Igala in divisive political activities, tarnishing the revered stool’s reputation.

The writ of summons, with number W/1896/24, names several defendants, including the Attorney General of the Federation and the Kogi State Attorney General.

In a statement issued in Jos, the Plateau State capital, the claimants are seeking among others a court order restraining the defendants from manipulating the Atta Igala for political or non-cultural agendas.

 They also demand to prohibit dragging the Atta Igala into activities that could bring disrepute to his position and collide with the interests of the Igala Nation and its people across various states.

The claimants have filed two applications, including exparte and Motion on Notice, seeking interim and interlocutory injunctions against the defendants.

 These injunctions aim to prevent the Atta Igala and other traditional rulers from visiting the President of Nigeria to advocate for the governor’s political interests.

During the hearing on Thursday, Salifu Oguche Usman Esq. represented the claimants, while the defendants were absent from court proceedings.

The plaintiffs seek the following claims against the defendants,

“A declaration that the revered stool of the Attah Igala and other kingship and Chieftaincy stools in the Igala Kingdom, being the traditional kingship offices embodying the spiritual, cultural, historical and traditional essence of the Igala people, imbued with the parent status and royalty of the race, must be preserved in their dignity and integrity at all times,

“A declaration that the Defendants, their servants, agents, and privies cannot drag the stool of the Attah Igala into the turf, murky waters and controversy of politics or be and as a pawn on the chessboard of power mongers, political elites or people in positions of authority for attaining cheap and parochial political ends, or for any reason and under any circumstance whatsoever by any executive occupant of political office except for matters relating with and pertaining to Igala culture and tradition, of which he is paramount king and chief custodian.

“A perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, servants and privies from interfering with the culture and traditional essence of Igala land and its people by their various attempts to subsume and regulate these features as part of the political administration of Kogi State without a distinction as to their manifestations, significance and attribution resulting to undue manipulations and negatives influence of the sacrosanct traditional institutions and stools.

“An order compelling the defendants, their agents, servants and privies to recognize, the sacredness and spiritual essence of the Attah Igala’s traditional office and stool, as representing the foremost social cultural deity and traditional authority of the people of the Igala nation, and must be accorded the due known prestige, dignity and respect at all times.

“An order compelling the defendant, their agents, servants and privies from tampering with or doing anything and/or seeking to do anything with the occupant of the stool of the Attah Igala in any manner whatsoever and for whatsoever purpose excepting on matters and issues relating to and pertaining with the traditional instruments of his office and his position as the paramount king and traditional ruler of Igala land in his capacity as the custodian of the history, culture and tradition of the Igala people.”

The Claimants informed the court that although the processes had been served on the Defendants, the hearing notice for the day’s proceedings wasn’t served due to pending house cleaning applications needed before properly bringing the Defendants before the court.

 Consequently, the Claimants applied to withdraw motions No. 1324 and 1325, as they had become irrelevant. Upon the application, both motions were duly withdrawn and struck out.

Additionally, the Claimants requested to have some names removed from the writ of summons.

However, the court directed that this request should be formally presented. Subsequently, the matter was adjourned to July 11, 2024, for hearing, with instructions for the hearing notice to be served on all parties involved.

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