• Our Traditional Titles Not For Sale — Emir
First Military Governor of Rivers State and Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass, Bayelsa State, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, yesterday, said turbaning of the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, as the Dan Amanar Daura (trusted son of Daura), would strengthen the relationship between the North and South.
Also, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Prince Tonye Princewill, said the honour bestowed by the Daura Emirate on Amaechi, would foster national unity and social integration.
Both spoke during Amaechi’s turbaning by the Daura Emirate Council in Katsina State.
Meanwhile, the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Farouk Umar Farouk, said the traditional titles from the emirate were not for sale for anyone with financial means, but only for those deserving.
He said the rumour that the emirate gave traditional titles to top politicians and moneybags was not true.
The emir conferred traditional title of Dan Amanar Daura to Amaechi, and the Tafida Babba Daura to business mogul, Alhaji Nasiru Haladu.
He said the titles conferred on both men were deserving, especially on Amaechi, who has contributed immensely to the development of Daura Emirate.
Farouk said the ongoing University of Transportation, Federal Polytechnic and railway station in the emirate, were reasons for conferring Ameachi with the traditional title.
“I want to assure you that we confer such titles not because of positions or money, but because those so conferred are deserving.
“The emirate has never given anyone a title because of money or position, but because such person deserves such honour,” he said.
Diete-Spiff, who is also the Chairman of Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, was accompanied by other prominent traditional rulers from the South-South and South-East geopolitical zones.
He said: “It is a great thing that our son is being honoured and turbaned. We thank the Emir of Daura and his people for picking him and my son, Bashiru Danu, who is also a Port Harcourt boy.
“We are here to give our support. It is a handshake across the Delta. We are very happy that one of our own is being recognised as a member of Daura Emirate Council. This occasion is to cement the relationship that has always existed between the North and South…”
Princewill said Katsina people would not regret their decision to honour the minister, adding that Rivers people would continue to build bridges of national unity.
“We are going to work tirelessly to ensure that we continue to build these bridges and make sure that we make the nation proud.
“We honour those that use their wealth and position to help the poor and down- trodden. Those are the kind of people we confer with traditional titles.
“Anyone that shows love for the people of Daura, whether he is black or white, would also be given such honour by the emirate,” he said.
