At the close of submission of application for those that want to be Ohinoyi, first class King of Ebiraland in Kogi State, no fewer than 72 sons and one daughter of the Kingdom, have submitted applications to the King makers.
Among those who have submitted applications are the former Clerk of the National Assembly, Barrister Muhammad Ataba Sanni Omolori, a media chief (owner of Jatto FM in Okene), Isezuo Edward Jatto; former Deputy Governor, Dr. Phillip Omeiza Salawu and Engineer, Professor Ibrahim Onuwe.
Others are Professor Angela Orengwu Okatahi (female); three sons of late Muhammad Sanni Omolori former Ohinoyi: Tijjani, Saaki and Abbas as well as Engineer Jibrin Ibrahim and Barrister Momohsani Shaibu. Ataba is also the son of late Muhammad Sanni Omolori.
The throne became vacant at the death of the occupant, Alhaji, Dr. Abdulrahman Ado Ibrahim on October 29 in Abuja, after a brief illness. He died aged 94 and was on the throne for 25 years. His predecessor, late Muhammad Sanni Omolori was on the same throne for 40 years and 40 days before his demise in 1996.
The Kingmakers’ Committee was inaugurated last week by the State Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Deen.

List Of Applicants For The Vacant Stool Of Ohinoyi Of Ebiraland So Far.
1. Mall. Salami Audu Jibril
Okene
2. Yusuf Abubakar Amuda
Okene
3. Alh. Dr. Amin Abubakar Obaje
Okene
4. Mall. Ibrahim Ahi Ondeku
Adavi
5. Shehu Ahmed A. Ivaju
Okene
6. Ibrahim Hakeem A. Omuya
Okene
7. Mall. Abdullahi Abdulfatai Badogu
Okene
8. Muhammed Yunusa
Adavi
9. Engr. Jibrin Ibrahim
Okene
10. Prince Haruna A. Yusuf
Okene
11. Mr. Sadiq Ozovehe Umar
Ajaokuta
12. Barr. Momohsanni Shaibu
Okene
13. Hon. Sidiq Abdulrahaman Osomose
Okene
14. Alh. Siyaka Ayihi Odoba
Okene
15. Ohida Wahab Ohiku
Okene
16. Dr. Philip Omeiza Salawu
Okehi
17. Ibrahim Jibril Adavize
Okehi
18. Alh. Umar Muhammed Mudashiru
Okehi
19. HRH Alh. Dr. Ahmed Tijani Muhammed Anaje
Okene
20. M. A Sani Omolori
Okene
21. Alh. Alkahi Abdulrahaman Bello
Okehi
22. Yusuf Maishadu Adavuchi
Okehi
23. Suleiman Godwin Ogirima
Okehi
24. Ahmed Ayimi Momohjimoh
Ajaokuta
25. Mall. Ismaila F. Sule
Ajaokuta
26. Dr. Anabe Aliu Tijani
Adavi
27. Isezuo Edward Jatto
Adavi
28. Abdullahi Jabar Ametuo
Okehi
29. Prof. Angela Oregwu Okatahi
Okehi
30. Abdulmalik Salawu (Amas)
Okene
31. Hon. Hussein Yusuf
Okene
32. Alh. Lasisi Sule Oseyiza Ogu
Ajaokuta
33. Dr. Abdulrahaman Musa Ovavu Adeiza
Okehi
34. All Ado Adams
Okene
35. Engr. Abubakar Yakubu Mosuwa
Okehi
36. Salihu Yunusa
Okene
37. Ohioze Itopa Salami
Okehi
38. Abanika Taiye Haruna Ohiani
Okehi
39. Isa Abdullahi Obaro
Okene
40. Hassan Salawu Odoba
Okene
41. Alh. Muktar O. Isa Sani
Okene
42. Abdullahi Enebere Jimoh Adaaja
Okehi
43. Mall. Yakubu Jimoh
Okene
44. Engr. Mohammed Okatahi Ibrahim
Okehi
45. Mall. Abdulrahaam Suberu
Okene
46. Abbas Muhammed Sani Omolori
Okene
47. Mr. Ohiare Itopa Salami
Adavi
48. Momohjimoh Bello
Ajaokuta
49. Tijani Sani Omolori
Okene
50. Ohida Abdulmaliq Haruna
Okene
51. Babatunde Unwaha
Ajaokuta
52. Muktar Muhammed
Okene
53. Shaibu Raimi
Okene
54. M. M. Salami
Okene
55. Abdulrahim Adinoyi
Okehi
56. Abdulmalik Abdulrazak Onuku
Ajaokuta
57. Saaki Muhammed Sani
Okene
58. Omonanyi Adams
Okene
59. Alh. Ahmed Adams
Okene
60. Ilyasu Yusuf Badoko
Okene
61. Engr. Audu Okikiri Edward
Okene
62. Zubair Adinoyi Ilyasu
Okene
63. Ahmed O. Usman
Okehi
64. Mr. Lawal Babameigida Abu
Okehi
65. Dr. Banny Adeku Ojiah
Okene
66. Alh. Abdullahi Isah Ogu
Okene
67. Mall. Sule Buhari Omeiza
Okene
68. AY Abdulwahab
Okene
69. Engr. Prof. Ibrahim Onuwe Abdulmalik
Okehi
70. Tahir Adam Abdullahi
Okehi
71. Muhammed Bashiru Yakubu
Okehi
72. Ibrahim Hudu – Okene.

Picture shows the new palace of Ohinoyi, built by Governor Yahaya Bello.

Kogi State Government has set up an eight-member committee to fish out sons and daughters of the State who have distinguished themselves both within and outside the country as outstanding ambassadors of the State for recognition and special rewards.
A statement today, December 16, by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG),
Mrs. Folashade Arike Ayoade, said that the committee will be headed by a retired Chief Judge of the State, Justice Henry Olusuyi, with the Ejeh Ankpa, Alhaji Abubakar Yakubu; the Obaro of Kabba, Oba Solomon Dele Owoniyi, the Ohi of Okenwe, Alhaji Dr. Ahmed Tijani Mohammed Anaje; Barrister Omeiza Abdulkarim Suleiman mni; Akowe Abimaje Amana and Alhaji Aliu Salau Omopariola as Advisory members. Barrister Okpanachi Mohammed Adama will serve as Secretary.
The statement said that the initiative is in tandem with the recently enacted Kogi State Honours Award Law, 2023.
It said that the committee has the responsibility to meticulously review, screen and recommend deserving individuals for the Honours, subject to the approval of the State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
The Committee is given one month to fulfill its responsibilities.
Governor Yahaya Bello was quoted as emphasizing the importance of the committee’s role and urged its members to exhibit diligence, thoroughness, and fairness throughout the process.

Hon Eseme Eyiboh, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has described as “unholy fake news” rumours making the rounds in some social media space that his boss collapsed on Thursday, December 14, 2023 in the course of the Colloquium and was rushed to national hospital.
The Colloquium was held in Abuja to complement the activities marking the 61st birthday of the Senate President.
In a reaction to the news about Akpabio being rushed to the hospital after collapsing, his spokesman said: “the rumours and reports were fictionalized extensions of the Senate President’s assertion of being tired at the end of the programme.”
Eyiboh said: “the rumours which have come to our notice through word of mouth from concerned and patriotic stakeholders have been fanned by some social media news channels with notoriety for the dissemination of phony newsflashes.
“It was especially disconcerting that the conjectures on the wellbeing of the Senate President came after he was celebrated by the crème-de-crème of the nation’s leadership across all sectors at the Colloquium that was focused on defining a legislative agenda for national development.
“Senator Akpabio spoke on his feet for more than 30 minutes as he gave the expose` of his trajectory in a way as never before.
“As the programme ended and President Bola Tinubu left the Transcorp Hotel venue, Senator Akpabio’s expression to some of those around him that he was tired was escalated to a fainting spell or collapse.
“Some more adventurous purveyors of untruth in their thrilling escapade of fiction even claimed that he is presently hospitalized and in a critical condition in the National Hospital, Abuja.
“This is wholly untrue and I declare firmly that besides saying he was exhausted in the hearing of those around him that he was certainly not rushed in a stretcher to the national hospital or indisposed.”

Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, immediate past Minister of State for Budget and National Planning in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, has indicated interest in contesting the governorship of Edo State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governorship hopeful told the State Working Committee of the APC today, December 14, that if he is given the opportunity to be the candidate of the party and he eventually gets elected, he would adopt an agenda aimed at stopping rural-urban drift through sustained rural development.
Prince Agba, who was at the party secretariat in Benin City to intimate party officials of his intention to contest the election, said that he had already prepared a master plan with an acronym: “Transforming Our Rural and Urban Spaces Together (TRUST),” to actualise the mission of rural development.
Agba told the working committee which was led by secretary to the state chapter of the party, Lawrence Okah, that transforming rural areas will reduce drift to cities, which in turn would provide food security and reduce insecurities across the state.
He noted that the total neglect of rural areas put pressure on cities, opining that villages produced large percentage of food consumed in the cities, but that much of the produce was lost to bad road network and insecurity.
He said that he had diagnosed the state’s problems, and solutions prepared through TRUST.
“We are out to change the narrative of rural areas disappearing, especially in Edo South, everywhere is now cities.”
He said that as Minister of Budget and National Planning, who studied multidimensional poverty in the country, he realised that deprivation is a major form of poverty.
He said that every ward in the state ordinarily is supposed to house a primary healthcare centre with nurses and medical doctors’ quarters attached.
This, he said, he would work towards if elected governor.
Enumerating some of the projects he embarked on as Commissioner for Environment in the state, Agba said urban renewal was the focal point of the tenure of Governor Adams Oshiomhole administration.
He said that watersheds, which were 70% completed as of when he left office, had since been abandoned.
He said that they were built across the state to retain water whenever it rained.
He informed the party leaders that roads, including drainages, with street lights were also built.
According to him, a 5-star water fountain was built to cater to the masses, especially the poor who did not have access to such facility.
He lamented that all these legacies of his tenure were no longer there as the succeeding government had neglected all that.
He recalled that as Budget and National Planning minister, he was in charge of the nation’s budget and could not do much.
According to him, he partnered some international agencies to help finance projects in the state and that through this, he was able to attract about 250 projects across the state.
The projects include intensive Care Unit, Molecular Laboratories at the University of Benin Teaching and Communicable Disease Centre at Irrua Specialist Hospital, among other projects.
On the Abuja – Okene -Auchi Road, he said that there was budgetary allocation for the rehabilitation through his office.
He said he also attracted projects to Uromi and Ewatto in Esanland, among others.
On Ewotubu Upper Ekenwan Road, he said Governor Godwin Obaseki stopped the project when he made attempt to include it in the budget.
He said that the governor insisted he had already awarded the road to a contractor.