Kings held court and acted as judges in ancient times. Therefore, the morning after videos of sexual harassment of women in the town went viral, the Ovie of Ozoro, His Royal Majesty, Barrister Anthony Uvietobore Ogbogbo, Ibuka I summoned everybody involved to his palace to find out what happened.
The Ovie was visibly angry. He said that he had received very many messages, including videos and pictures from the students union president, the vice chancellor of the university, senior state government officials from Asaba, other traditional rulers and prominent Isoko sons and daughters. He was shocked by what he saw.
Among the people that were summoned to his palace were leaders of the community like the chief priest, president-general, etc and leaders of the students unions. The people inside the palace did not know that the king had also invited the divisional police officer and the DPO and his men were waiting outside in the palace compound.
The king asked one of the leaders of the community what happened the previous night.
The leader said that the chief priest came to tell them that the diety wanted to celebrate the festival and that they should make an announcement that women were not supposed to come out when they were coming back from the festival.
The King asked what would happen to the women if they came out. Another person said, “Nothing”. The king shouted on the person that said nothing, insulted him and told him that he was not speaking to him.
The king asked them whether the festival was a civic or traditional festival. The man said that it was a traditional festival. The king asked the man who was the head of the tradition in the kingdom. The man replied that it was the king. The king asked the man whether they informed him about the festival. The man hesitated for a while and then said that he thought that the chief priest would inform the king.
The king asked the chief priest whether he informed him. The chief priest said that they were supposed to inform him. The king shouted that the chief priest did not answer the question. He said that it’s not a matter of “supposed to”, did he inform the king. The chief priest said no. The king asked him whether he informed the president-general. The chief priest said no.
The king asked them when was the last time that the festival was held. The man said that it was held in 2022. The king asked the man whether what happened the previous night (rape) happened in 2022. The man first said no, then he said that he didn’t know.
The king said that they would all make statements to the DPO outside.
The King said that he has been king for 22 years and he has never heard that rape is part of the festival. He said that many people had phoned him to find out what was happening and he didn’t know what to tell them. He said that he couldn’t say that he didn’t know, because he would be indicting himself and he couldn’t say that he knew because he would also be indicting himself.
He said that what happened was very serious and many human rights groups were taking it very seriously. He said that he was shocked when he saw the videos and pictures that were sent to him.
