Mr. Peter Onwusanya, the speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, got what he never bargained for as traditional rulers tongue lashed him for what they called, “Denigration of their titles.” The mass walkout by the traditional leaders occurred during the public lecture of the Delta State House of Assembly to mark the 3rd Anniversary of the 5th Assembly in Asaba.
Mr. Peter Onwusanya, the speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, got what he never bargained for as traditional rulers tongue lashed him for what they called, “Denigration of their titles.” The mass walkout by the traditional leaders occurred during the public lecture of the Delta State House of Assembly to mark the 3rd Anniversary of the 5th Assembly in Asaba.
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Trouble started shortly when the Speaker came on stage to deliver his speech and addressed the over 50 traditional rulers as “Our Fathers.” This immediately provoked and angered the monarchs, there was some grumbling among them, even shouted words at Mr. Peter Onwusanya, and they staged a walk out on him. The state deputy governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, who represented Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and other top state and federal government functionaries were stunned.
The monarchs’ action, which had disrupted the lecture for several minutes, took the speaker by surprise and he appealed to the Deputy Governor to intervene.
The situation, however, took the deputy governor the better part of his energy, and time, to beg the angry traditional rulers who had protested the speaker’s remarks to stop leaving through the exit door. They continued on anyway, thereby causing distractions to the affair and embarrassment to the already seated guests. It was an impressive list that included Prof. G. G. Darah, a Guest Speaker at the occasion, and delegates at the ongoing National Conference, as well as, Dr. Ferdinand Agu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Research and Documentation, who represented the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.
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One of the traditional rulers, from the south-south zone of the state, spoke with newsmen afterwards, and described the speaker as someone who “lacks respect for constituted authority,” adding that, “Though we don’t blame him, after all, the position was given him on a platter of gold. But he should learn how to respect elders and accord them their due respect as custom demand.”
Reacting to the action of the traditional rulers, an aide to the speaker who pleaded for his name not to be mentioned berated the monarchs adding that “What is wrong in calling them our father, are they not our fathers so what is the big deal there. Would they have embarked on a walk out or lashes at boss if it were to be the governor who addressed them as our father? The funniest thing is that severally I have witnessed the governor addressing them as our father and they dare not cough or is it because at the end the governor gives them envelops?.”
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