By Davies Iheamnachor

KULA—THE warring factions of traditional rulers in oil-rich Kula Kingdom, Akuku-Toru Local Government Are, Rivers State, have finally resolved their 20-year-old squabble over who is the most supreme monarch .

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NDV learned that the conflicting interests between King Kroma Amabibi Eleki of the Sara Royal House and King Bourdillon Ekine Oko of the Oko Royal House sparked the crisis, which had led to the death of many and destruction of property.

Worried by the underdevelopment the feud had caused in the area, an influential son of the kingdom, Engr. Jack-Rich Tein Jr., took bold steps to end the acrimony.

To the delight of the people, traditional rulers, chiefs and community leaders from the Sara and Oko Royal Houses, who could not see themselves together for many years, sat together and embraced themselves at a peace and unity meeting in Kula community.

King Kroma Amabibi Eleki of the Sara Royal House and King Bourdillon Ekine Oko of the Oko Royal SHouse collapsed their factional Council of Chiefs into a new body known as the Kula Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers.

Following the resolution, King Eleki emerged as Chairman of the Kula Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, while King Ekine-Oko is to serve as Secretary of the body.

Speaking, King Eleki, the Amanyanabo of Anyame-Kula said history would be kind to an illustrious son of the area Engr. Jack-Rich Tein Jr. for initiating the peace move.

Eleki said: “Kula is a rich kingdom but it is no longer enjoyable because of disunity among us. Today, with this peace, we will begin to make progress.”

In addition, Ekine-Oko who is the Amanyanabo of Opu-Kula (Old Shipping) also acknowledged the role played by Engr. Jack-Rich Tein Jr. in developing the area, creating wealth and uniting the people.

“I have no personal problem with my brother, King Kroma Eleki, it is just that his father told him that he is the king and my father also told me that I am the king. Today, we have decided to work together and the community will move forward. I am calling on the men, women and youths to work with us for the community to move forward,” he said.

Meanwhile, stakeholders in Kula Kingdom have called on Rivers State Government to recognise the newly constituted Kula Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, adding that the body would help to sustain the resolved age long chieftaincy tussle in the area.

One of them, Alapuye Elekiye-Okpare, said, “We are so happy today that the chieftaincy problem in our kingdom has been resolved. We now have an apex council. We are calling on the state government to recognize the Kula Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers. This will help to sustain this peace achieved.”

Another indigene, Wapakabuari Ebejiye-Gaga, described the inauguration of the Kula Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers as historic, adding that the body would ensure lasting peace in the area.