Kessington Selmanu Yerima Momoh, First Active Politician in the Momoh Family

Prince Selmanu Momoh, more popularly known as Prince Kessington Selmanu Yerima (K.S.Y.) Momoh or “Kess” was the 32^nd child of Momoh the First. Born in 1921 to the sixth wife of Momoh the First, Osikhomo from South Ibie, he had his early education at Government School in Auchi before proceeding to the Council of Legal Education in the United Kingdom where he qualified as a lawyer.

He returned to Nigeria and worked as a clerk in the Kukuruku Native Authority in the 1940s and as a treasurer in the Akoko-Edo District Council. He also served as parliamentary secretary to the regional Minister of Education and the Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in the 1950s before he won a parliamentary seat to represent Afemai North-East at the Western Regional House of Assembly.   

Prince Kessington Momoh was a member of the Action Group led by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and he was a prominent figure in the Western Regional House of Assembly. He was active in opposition to the politics of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) which was then led by Nnamdi Azikiwe. He is famously remembered for taking a hit at the House of Assembly when a chair aimed at the Speaker of the House landed on his head. Prince Kessington Momoh is noted for his high principles in politics and his towering influence in grassroots representation and service to Afemailand.

Prince Kessington Momoh retired from politics following the collapse of the first republic and became a High Court Judge in the Bendel State Judiciary. He passed on in September 1985 while still in service.

Highlights on Prince Kessington Momoh

• A member of the Western House of Assembly in 1952.
• A Junior Minister in the Ministry of Education and he contributed immensely to ensure there was free education in the western region.
• As Junior Minister, he got the government to take the textile mill to Auchi but it was later taken to Asaba by Dennis Osadebe.
• He also brought the water board to Auchi.
• The roads in Auchi were tarred through his connection in government.
• Though he attempted to get electricity to Auchi he did not quite succeed.
• He contested and lost election in 1956 to go back to the House of Assembly and He went to England to read law in 1957. He completed his law programme in 1959.
• On arrival he became Minister of Labour in 1960.
• In 1961, he was Minister for Trade and Industry and Leader of Midwest delegation.
• In 1962, he travelled to Brazil to scout for investors to the country.
• During the Coker inquiry, Kessington Momoh was the only minister that was not indicted in 1962 during the state of emergency in the West.
• Instrumental to the creation of Midwest state 1963.
• He was briefly chairman of Electricity Corporation of Nigeria ECN before the military struck and there was a civil war.
• In 1968 he set up the Muslim Welfare Pilgrims Board and became the first chairman till 1971
• He later went back to law practice.
• He became principal state counsel and promoted Deputy Director State Public Prosecution.
• He was appointed a High Court Judge.
• On September 13th 1985 he died.

Land Mark Achievements

• He was leader of the Midwestern House of Assembly Members at Ibadan
• He was more active to ensure that Edo North, Etsako Area was well taken care of under the Awolowo and Akintola government
• To a large measure, Kessington Momoh was one of the people who changed the name Kukuruku to Afemai and many people benefited from him while he was in government.
• When a state of emergency was declared by Abubakar Tafawa Balewa in the West, they rounded up the leaders of the Action group, Awolowo and others were picked up and sent on exile. Kessington Momoh was sent to Auchi.
• All the ministers that served under Awolowo and Akintola were invited and they were indicted but Kessington Momoh was not indicted.
• The incident at the Western House of Assembly that led to a state of emergency was staged managed to symbolize crisis and one Mr. Oke used a chair to break Kessington Momoh’s head at the House of Assembly.