The leadership of the Oguname community of Agbarho kingdom, Ughelli North local government area of Delta state has lambasted the late Chief Abel Maduku’s children over unnecessary attack and unfounded allegations against Chief Godwin Omote Agofure.
The community leaders had also condemned in its entirety and dissociated itself from the actions of the late Chief Abel Maduku’s children over the allegations of killings, rituals and kidnapping laid against their illustrious son, Chief Godwin Omote Agofure, published in both facebook and other social media.
The late Chief Maduku’s children had on the 7th of Sept, 2023, lost one of their cousins, Monday George Asovonure in his late 30s and directed the deceased’s elder brother, Mr. Ogaga George Asovonure to go and bury him at the fence of Chief Godwin Omote Agofure’s country home at about 9pm of same day.
The deceased’s elder brother, who is also a cousin to late Maduku’s children, Mr. Ogaga George Asovonure told newsmen he lost his younger brother on the 7th of Sept, 2023, and went to report to late Maduku’s senior child, Mr. Philip Maduku, who instructed him to bury the brother at the fence of Chief Godwin Agofure country home.
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Asovonure said on the instructions of Mr Philip Maduku, he buried his brother at the fence of Chief Agofure’s house at about 9pm on same day, adding that two days later he received a message from Chief Agofure through his lawyer to exhume the deceased and be taken elsewhere to be buried.
He said having been instructed by Chief Agofure to exhumed the deceased, he appealed to some youths to assist him, and that was the beginning of the problem, saying, “As we were going to exhume the deceased, late Maduku’s children came out protesting with placards that l cannot remove it and threatened to injure me.
“When l saw the threat coming from the Maduku’s children, we have to go to Agborho Police Station to get police so that we can remove the corpse, on sighting the police, Maduku’s children absconded, and that was how we could exhumed the corpse and took to where our larger Ekrebi family showed to us to bury him.
“From that day we exhumed the deceased, Maduku’s children took to the streets of Oguname community with all allegations against Chief Agofure, calling him all sorts of names landgrabbar, killer, ritual, kidnapper, using their phones to video and same time posting on Facebook and other social media.
“All these are lies from the pit of hell because nobody in Oguname can say our uncle Chief Godwin Agofure has not assisted or not touched his or her life in the community, hence the entire community came out and protested the cooked allegations.”
The Vice President of Oguname community, Mr. Goddey Ohwokevwo who also spoke to Journalists expressed disappointment on the attitude of Maduku’s children, saying that at the appropriate time, the leadership of the community will visit the issue.
Ohwokevwo said the attitude of Maduku’s children has displayed is unthinkable and unacceptable, hence Oguname community cannot take it for granted because it cannot be taken from a total stranger not to talk of an indigene.
Ohwokeevwo said, “We want to let the public know that Oguname community has high regard for their illustrious son, Chief Godwin Agofure and we cannot fold our hands and allow some misguided children who have no regard for elders to continue their insane attitude in the community without drastic action.”
The spokesperson of Oguname community, Mr. Dike Ejenakevwe condemned the behaviour of late Maduku’s children in its entirety and said Oguname community is not and will never support such behaviour on any of their sons not to talk of Chief Godwin Agofure whom Oguname community hold in a high esteem.
Mr. Dike Ejenakevwe said nobody in the entire world will accept the fence of his house to be used as a graveside and the person will be silence to it. Nobody does that. He said for Maduku’s children to have brought fetish things to the community is a taboo and is not accepted in the community, hence they will face the consequence.
Mr. Dike said Chief Godwin Agofure has done a lot for Oguname community and that they cannot allow some little children from nowhere to destroy his name in the Facebook and social media and you expect the community to sweep it under the carpet, that it is unacceptable and it will be squarely dealt with.
The Community Taskforce Chairman, Mr. Dennis Otubure while speaking with Journalists pointed out that what late Maduku’s children has displayed go a long way to show their evil minds, adding that there is no one among the Maduku’s children that will say he has not benefitted from Chief Godwin Agofure’s generosity.
When contacted the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO DSP Bright Edafe confirmed the incident through Divisional Police Officer, Agbarho on what has transpired.