By Samuel Aduloju
It was a free-for-all in Ujabhole, Irrua municipal community of Esan Central Local Government area of Edo State, following fierce resistance to prevent the installation of a chief priest “from a wrong ruling house”, to preside over annual Aba Festival.
Community sources in Ujabhole confirmed to our correspondent that no fewer than three persons lay dead while several others were seriously injured.
According to investigations, the Ehimen ruling house had been reputed for fielding a candidate aschief priest for the Aba Festival but that another family, reputed as rich and influencial, had sought to pervert the age-long tradition, thus drawing the anger of the locals.
The Aba festival is one of the leading native event of Esan people in Edo State, drawing indgenes both home and abroad, together in the spring of every year.
During the Aba annual festival, ‘sons’ and ‘daughters ‘ of Irrua in Esan Central from all walks of life usually converge on Ujabhole community to partake in the event.
Animals like white goats and dogs are publicly beheaded in the belief that such would cleanse the land of transgression and spare it of calamities, during the festival.
“So, for such a historical event to sustain its grandeur and spiritual essence, the Ehimen family must produce a chief priest, and not the Ojeikere household, as bending the rule because of money is not only sacrilegious but also calamitous,” fumed Samuel Ahigba, a school teacher in the community.
It was observed on Sunday, however, that riot policeman had been deployed in the community to restore order.