Former two-term senator, Francis Alimikhena, is set to ascend the traditional throne of Uwanno Kingdom in Etsako East Local Council of Edo State, following his appointment as the Okumagbe of the kingdom.
The appointment was approved by the Edo State Executive Council on July 6, 2026, marking a new chapter in the political career of the former federal lawmaker as he prepares to take on a traditional leadership role.
Alimikhena served in the Senate from 2015 to 2023, representing Edo North Senatorial District. He was elected into the Eighth National Assembly in 2015 and, despite being a first-term senator, was appointed Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate.
He retained his seat in 2019 and subsequently chaired the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff, where he played a prominent role in legislative oversight of one of the country’s key revenue-generating institutions.
His transition from the National Assembly to the traditional institution comes with a different form of responsibility, as he prepares to assume the cultural and communal leadership of Uwanno Kingdom.
Governor Monday Okpebholo is expected to formally present the Staff of Office to the new Okumagbe during the coronation ceremony scheduled for August 22.
The event is expected to draw prominent sons and daughters of Uwanno Kingdom from across Nigeria and the diaspora.
In a statement signed by the Chairman, Media Committee of the Coronation Planning Committee, High Chief Tony Akiotu, the ceremony will bring together traditional leaders, political figures, community stakeholders and other distinguished guests.
For Alimikhena, the coronation represents a significant shift from the chambers of the Senate to the palace—where political representation gives way to the preservation of culture, mediation of communal interests and stewardship of the kingdom’s heritage.