. His mistress now controls affairs, allege chiefs
…shun palace, accuse her of intimidating, arresting them with police
. They’re only gossiping, I’m not in romance with Dein, says alleged mistress
. Monarch free to relate with any woman- Palace officials
By Nosa Akenzua, Asaba
An alleged sizzling romance between the Dein of Agbor, Benjamin Ikenchukwu, Keagborekuzi 1, and a woman is now at the centre of a public disquiet in the ancient kingdom, The Point has learnt.
It was gathered that the alleged high-handedness of the woman, simply identified as Theresa, in her dealings with the chiefs of the kingdom in the monarch’s palace had driven a wedge between the Dein and his palace chiefs in recent times.
But the monarch, said to be head-over-heels in love with Theresa, it was learnt, has vowed to sink or swim with his new mistress, inspite of the opposition by his palace chiefs, his family members and subjects to their alleged amorous relationship. The monarch, who at birth was ferried away to safety from the kingdom to the palace of the Oba of Benin, and subsequently brought up in England, was said to have vowed not to have anything to do with any other woman in Nigeria except Theresa.
In 2014, the monarch’s alleged secret wedding to a “white woman” caused tension in the peaceful community, pitching his palace chiefs against him.
The Point gathered that Theresa is highly influential and connected to top police officers, who she had allegedly been using to intimidate and even arrest those palace chiefs she regards as inhibiting her relationship with the Dein. The Agbor monarch is also alleged to have been giving her tacit backing in her alleged ill-treatment of his palace chiefs.
Consequently, the current atmosphere in the ancient Agbor Kingdom, which is one of the oldest in the South South geo-political zone of the country, is tense over the alleged philandering of the monarch with women, particularly with Theresa, said to be a journalist.
The Agbor monarch, said to be in his 40s, is not officially married to any woman since his ascension to the revered ancient throne, but has a set of twins from a former lover of his.
Reliable palace sources told The Point that the chiefs are angry with the monarch for the alleged nonchalance he has continued to exhibit by allowing Theresa to interfere and dictate to them concerning the running of the affairs of the ancient kingdom.
Theresa, whose mother, The Point learnt, is a priestess of some traditional idols and gods in Agbor Kingdom, had allegedly been involved in series of nebulous activities in the palace since her alleged amorous relationship with the Dein began few months ago.
It was gathered that the alleged taking over of control of affairs of the kingdom from the monarch by Theresa is being frowned upon by the chiefs, who view the development as “a desecration of the palace.”
Palace sources added that the Dein’s mistress, even in his presence, allegedly often dictates the functions of the monarch, including dishing out instructions to his chiefs on how the Palace should be run. This is said not to go down well with the chiefs, who feel “insulted and drastically reduced in esteem” by Theresa’s antics.
The unfolding drama, insiders told The Point, had literally put a halt to the daily visits by some of the aggrieved chiefs to the palace to confer with the monarch on the running of the affairs of the ancient kingdom, worsening the already tenuous relationship between them and the Dein.
Consequently, The Point learnt, the angry chiefs have allegedly vowed to take their own pound of flesh from Theresa by taking measures to punish and disgrace her out of the palace, especially following their suspicion that there was more to her amorous relationship with the monarch said to be the most flamboyant and influential traditional ruler in Delta State.
Also, relations of the monarch, including the other children of the Queen Mother (Dein’s mother), it was learnt, have stopped coming to the palace since the alleged taking over of the kingdom’s affairs by Theresa, whose practice of the journalism profession was said to have become “undulating” before she allegedly warmed her way into the monarch’s heart.
Before meeting with the Agbor monarch, Theresa had allegedly dated one Prince Victor Efeizomo, a son of the Obi of Owa, the traditional ruler of another community in the state.
Some of the affected chiefs, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said efforts made to let the monarch see why he should end his alleged philandering with his mistress, Theresa, proved abortive as they were warned that it was his private life and nobody else’s business.
But Theresa in her reaction, denied all the allegations leveled against her by the palace chiefs, saying she was not in any amorous relationship with the monarch.
She explained that she was only close to the Dein because of his position as the monarch of the town where she hails from.
“As the daughter of the Kingdom, I have the right to be close to the monarch, knowing full well that the monarch loves hardworking persons, and people around him. I will continue to visit my monarch and those who gossip are doing that for nothing. All they are saying about me is not true,” she said.
Meanwhile, efforts to speak with the monarch proved abortive as he could not be reached as of the time of going to press.
But a palace official, who pleaded not to be identified, said, “Why are all these palace chiefs complaining? Is this the first time a woman would be in charge? Is Agbor Kingdom different? Is it anyone’s business if the monarch is going out with Theresa? It’s not a big deal at all. If they (palace chiefs) don’t want to come here again, they can stay in their houses as chiefs, instead of gossiping.”
