The families of Mala and Ajolosemi from Ode quarter in Opuede Federated Community, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta, have urged the general public to disregard a purported publication making the rounds on social media, particularly Facebook, that a chairman has been sworn-in to pilot the affairs of the riverine community.

This was disclosed in a statement released to PENGlobal Community by Pastor Friday Mala and Mr. Kelly Mode, on behalf of the Mala and the Ajolosemi families, respectively, on Monday, September 11, 2023.

According to the statement, the issue of contention on the family in Ode quarter that will produce the next chairman of Opuede Federated Community is before the kingdom and as such any claim that a chairman has already been elected or selected is false.

Giving brief details of the leadership tussle in Opuede Federated Community, the duo stated that, "Ode quarter is made up of Mala, Ajolosemi, Ode, and Iselese, which are the four families. Iselese and Ode families have produced chairman from that quarter to Opuede Federated Community. Now, the chairmanship has reverted back to the Ode quarter.

"The Ode family is insisting they will produce the next chairman, but we of the Mala and Ajolosemi families objected to that decision because Ode family has produced chairman before. Mala and Ajolosemi families have not produced chairman from that quarter. They should allow us, the two families of Mala and Ajolosemi, to reach a consensus to produce the next chairman. That is the state we are in," he added.

Explaining further, they claimed that, "Some persons in Ode quarter who believe they are the senior people in the quarter are parading a chairman. They have been parading on social media Facebook that Opuede Federated Community has installed their chairman. But we reject that action because we have not agreed on who to produce the chairman." they said. 

While they frowned on the circulation of false information to the general public, they attested that, to the best of their knowledge, no handover ceremony has been organised to effect such change of leadership by the current chairman of Opuede Federated Community, Chief William Tortor.

They therefore warned those peddling such false information to desist forthwith as the families making up the Ode quarter "have not agreed on who to produce the chairman" and therefore, on that note, “there is no chairman in Opuede Federated Community for now until the kingdom resolves the dispute.”

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