The Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, Major General Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd), Orhue I, has suspended the controversial amendment of the Sapele-Okpe Community constitution and the creation of a purported fifth quarter that recently triggered tensions within the community.
The royal directive followed a stakeholders’ meeting convened at the Orodje’s Palace in Orerokpe, Delta State, aimed at resolving the crisis surrounding the leadership of the community and the alleged unilateral constitutional changes by the executive led by Chief Onoriode Temiagin.
The revered Monarch, who is also the Chairman of the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, had, through the Secretary of the Okpe Traditional Council/ Odugu Okpe, Okakuro O.P. Biadoyo, invited parties to the dispute for a stakeholders meeting at his Palace on Monday.
Our source, who was at the meeting, said that Orodje directed that the disputed actions be halted indefinitely. “The purported amendment of the Sapele-Okpe Community constitution and the creation of a fifth quarter is hereby suspended indefinitely,” the Orodje directed during the meeting, which brought together key stakeholders from the community.
The monarch also set aside the vote of no confidence earlier passed on Temiagin and his executive, noting that the leadership should be allowed to complete its tenure since it had only about four months left in office.
The intervention followed rising tensions in the community after leaders of Sapele-Okpe on March 1, 2026, passed a vote of no confidence on Temiagin and his executive over allegations that they secretly amended the community’s constitution and created a new quarter without proper consultations.
The development came after an aborted monthly community meeting held at Okpe Hall on the same day, where members gathered to deliberate on the issue and chart a way forward.
Prominent leaders present at that meeting included Dr Kingsley Abeke, Secretary of the Sapele-Okpe Community Land Trust Association; Ufuoma Atose; Ovo Abeke; Bright Abeke; Chief Tom Anirah; the community Youth President, Obomine Ekariko; Chief G. Dafinone; and Senator Ede Dafinone, who represents Delta Central Senatorial District and also serves as Chairman of the Sapele-Okpe Community Land Trust Association.
Community members alleged that the Temiagin-led executive amended the constitution to recognise Otonyasere as the fifth quarter of Sapele-Okpe Community without consulting the existing quarters or members of the land trust association, a move they described as controversial and potentially injurious to the community’s legal and proprietary interests.
Tensions escalated days later when thousands of youths from the Community Council gathered staged a peaceful protest on March 4, 2026, demanding a review of the community leadership.
The protesters, who converged early in the morning, marched through major streets of Sapele, chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards with inscriptions such as “We Don’t Have a Fifth Quarter,” “Temiagin Must Go,” and “This Is Sapele-Okpe Community, Not Temiagin Community.”
Speaking during the demonstration, youth leader Ovo Abeke said the protest was aimed at drawing attention to concerns about community governance. “The decision was that he should no longer lead this community. His leadership has not been beneficial to the Sapele-Okpe people. He should step aside and allow peace to return,” Abeke said, adding that the youths wanted steps taken within 48 hours to address their concerns and initiate a leadership transition in line with community procedures.
In a bid to prevent the situation from escalating into a full-blown leadership crisis, the Orodje invited the warring factions to his palace for dialogue.
A letter of invitation issued by the palace had stated: “I am directed by His Royal Majesty, CFR, mni, Orhue I, Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, to invite you to the Palace with a view to resolving the ongoing issues in Sapele, your community.”
At the meeting, the monarch urged both the Sapele-Okpe Community Land Trust Association chairman, Senator Ede Dafinone, and the community chairman, Chief Temiagin, to work closely together to resolve the issues and restore harmony in the community.
Among prominent Sapele-Okpe leaders who attended the palace meeting were Okakuro Thompson Okpoko, Professor Sam Oyovbaire, Okakuro Moses Asini, Okakuro Joe Ogufere, Okakuro Senator Ede Dafinone, Okakuro Onoriode Temiagin, Okakuro Godfrey Dafinone, Okakuro Tom Anirah, Okakuro Patrick Akamovba, Dr Kingsley Abeke, Dr Austin Arieja, Col. Moses Babuba Abeke, Hon. Godwin Atose, Chief Cyril Ogodo, and Mr Churchill Ayomanor.
The Orodje’s intervention is expected to calm tensions in the community and open the door for dialogue aimed at resolving the leadership dispute.
