The Ovie of Ozoro Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Barr. Anthony Uvietobore Ogbogbo, has received a high level delegation from the National Association of Nigerian Students at his palace, using the occasion to firmly and publicly distance himself and his kingdom from the disturbing videos of sexual assaults that went viral during a community festival in Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The royal father told the NANS delegation that the videos of women being harassed, stripped and molested had reached the highest levels and that he had personally been inundated with calls from government officials and monarchs across the world seeking to understand what was happening in his kingdom.
“I have more than 200 videos and photographs of what transpired. Government officials and kings across the world have been calling me to know what is happening,” the Ovie said.
“I have been a king for more than 20 years. I have never heard that a festival is celebrated with girls being harassed, sexually molested or raped in my community all in the name of a festival,” he stated categorically, making clear that nothing in the kingdom’s customs or traditions endorses or permits what the videos showed.
The NANS delegation was led by the Student Union Government President of Southern Delta University in Ozoro, Oribelua Precious, who confirmed that some of the victims were students of the institution. “When we got to the hospital, the doctor on duty confirmed that no student was penetrated but they were molested although an attempt to rape anyone cannot be taken lightly because it is a serious matter,” he said.
The Ozoro Kingdom leadership separately backed the Ovie’s position. President General Chief Berkeley Asiafa and Secretary-General Prince Obaro Egware issued a statement clarifying that no cultural festival in the kingdom permits or endorses sexual assault in any form, and that the kingdom dissociates itself entirely from the criminal conduct captured in the viral videos.
The community head and chief organiser of the event, Chief Omorede Sunday, alongside four other suspects from Oramudu quarters in Ozoro, have since been arrested by the Delta State Police Command and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
