By Mercy Akuba
The Councillor representing Ward 8 in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo state, Hon. Phillip Adodo, has dismissed claims questioning his Indigenous status in Idogbo community.
Adodo who is also the majority leader in Ikpoba Okha LGA firmly stated that he is a true son of Idogbo, tracing his lineage to his father, late Enomanhenunumwen Adodo, who held the traditional title of lhama of Idogbo and was regarded as the number three man in the whole of Idogbo Community in his time.
The clarification follows a viral video circulating on social media, in which Mr. Lugard Idemudia Osahenrhumwen and two other persons, one of which lied to be the second-in-command of the commumity alleged during a session in one of the social media platforms that Adodo is not an indigene of Idogbo community and therefore unqualified for the re-election of the councillorship position he currently seeks to retain.
Adodo while addressing journalists from his ancestral home in Idogbo community described the allegation strongly as false as he claimed that Mr. Lugard Idemudia Osahenrhumwen who is currently claiming to be an indigene of Idogbo community migrated from Ekae village in Oredo LGA, he querried while someone who migrated from Ekae village currently given an opportunity to serve as the Idogbo Community secretary and also the (APC) Assistant Secretary ward 8 will lie to Edo people.
The councillor representing ward 8 in Ikpoba Okha LGA Hon.Adodo who has done massively well in the area of roads and other basic amenities at the ward level wonders why someone like Mr Osahenrhumwen who has personally benefited both at the party and community level would querry him that was born, raised and has his ancestral lineage there in Idogbo forgetting that he( Mr Osahenrhumwen )just migrated from Ekae village not too long ago.
He also noted that Mr Otenghabun Ojo Edokpayi who claimed to be the second-in-Command of Idogbo community was economical with the truth.
“Let me make it categorically clear, Mr Edokpayi is not the second-in-command of Idogbo community, he also migrated from Igun community both in oredo LGA”.
He highlighted the longstanding contributions of his family especially his biological father who was the IHAMA of Idogbo community which automatically made his father the number three person in the whole of Idogbo as he added to the socio-economic development of the community, noting that he has continued in same legacy of his late father.
As the councillor representing ward 8, “We have 26 communities that make up Ward 8 including Idogbo community where I am from and there is nothing about my ward that I am not aware of,” he said.
Adodo condemned what he described as a malicious attempt to tarnish his image, attributing it to opposition following his party’s approval of his re-contesting bid.
“I was born and bred in Idogbo. At the time, the community had no primary school, so I attended Ulegun Primary School then, It is unfortunate that someone would spread falsehood out of jealousy,” he added.
While noting that he would ordinarily not respond to such claims, Adodo said he deemed it necessary to set the record straight and urged residents to disregard persons in some quarters trying to tarnish the image he has built for years.
“I urge my Idogbo brothers and sisters to ignore these fabricated lies and prepare to show our strength in the forthcoming election,” he said.
Also speaking, Barrister Famous Adodo condemned the allegations, describing them as baseless and driven by envy over Hon. Adodo’s political progress.
He reiterated that their father held the title of lhama of Idogbo until his passing, stressing that the family’s roots in the community are unquestionable.
Similarly, another family member, Austin Adodo, reaffirmed the family’s origin, insisting that they are bonafide indigenes of Idogbo and added that their father who was the Ihama of Idogbo was buried in their ancestral home in Idogbo community after his passing.