By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
When the Idjerhe Traditional Council announced the indefinite suspension of 16 chiefs, many residents of the Delta State kingdom were stunned—not only by the number affected, but by the depth of the allegations behind the decision.
At the centre of the storm is Chief Solomon Odemero Ojariafe, until recently the Unugbrogodo of Idjerhe Central Oguedion, who the palace accused of gross misconduct, insubordination, maladministration and failure to account for more than ₦25 million said to belong to the Oguedion. Alongside him, 15 other chiefs were suspended, effectively reshaping the traditional leadership structure of the kingdom overnight.
For many in Idjerhe, the announcement was deeply personal. “These are men we grew up respecting,” a community elder said quietly. “Now our children are asking questions we don’t have easy answers to.”
The suspensions, announced on Friday, January 24, 2026, were explained by the palace as a painful but necessary step to prevent the kingdom from descending into confusion and unrest.
Addressing journalists, the Crown Otota (traditional Prime Minister) of Idjerhe Kingdom, Chief Uzzi Onosia James Obriki, said the measures were taken to restore sanity and protect the authority of the throne.
“We implore all sons and daughters of Idjerhe to remain law-abiding,” Obriki said. “The traditional administration is doing everything within its power to ensure peace and tranquility prevail.”
According to the Idjerhe Traditional Council, the crisis did not begin with finances alone. Palace officials said tensions had been building since February 2025, when the palace requested all three Oguedions—Idjerhe Central, Onyobru and Boboroku—to submit lists of palace chiefs, as required by tradition. While Onyobru and Boboroku complied, Idjerhe Central reportedly refused.
The refusal, the council alleged, was rooted in fear that officially recognised palace chiefs would owe loyalty to the king rather than to the Unugbrogodo—an accusation that deepened mistrust within the traditional hierarchy.
Matters escalated further earlier this month during preparations for the fifth coronation anniversary of His Royal Majesty, King Obukowho Monday Arthur Whiskey, Udurhie I. The palace accused Chief Ojariafe of directing chiefs under Idjerhe Central Oguedion to boycott the anniversary celebration held between January 15 and 18, an act described as a sacrilege and a public humiliation of the throne.
Residents say the boycott was felt across the community. “When elders don’t show up for the king, it sends a dangerous signal,” a youth leader said. “It makes people wonder who is really in charge.”
The palace further disclosed that Chief Ojariafe rejected a formal invitation to the celebration, citing objections to how his title was written. Traditional authorities dismissed the claim, insisting that all Unugbrogodos are administratively subordinate to the king, regardless of internal divisions.
The final straw, according to the palace, came with intelligence reports that the embattled chief intended to instruct the Chief Priest (Ojada) of Idjerhe Central to conduct a sacred community festival without royal approval—a move regarded as a serious violation of Idjerhe tradition, where only the king has authority to approve and fix dates for rituals.
Compounding the situation, the palace also accused Chief Ojariafe of hosting leaders of a banned traditional chiefs’ association, in defiance of a directive by the Urhobo Traditional Council chaired by the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Emmanuel Sideso Abbey I.
In response, the Idjerhe Traditional Council announced the derobing of Chief Ojariafe as Unugbrogodo of Idjerhe Central and suspended him and 15 others indefinitely.
As the dust settles, the mood in Idjerhe remains heavy. Conversations in homes, markets and meeting halls reflect a community grappling with fractured leadership and wounded traditions. For many, the crisis is not just about power or money, but about trust—and the fear that once broken, it may take generations to rebuild.