Oborevwori presents staff of office to Asagba monarch

The Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, on Thursday presented the staff of office to the 14th Asagba of Asaba Kingdom, Obi Prof. Epiphany Azinge, noting that the Asaba people had the unique privilege of being ruled by renowned intellectuals.

Speaking at the Ogwa Ukwu Ahaba, the venue of the ceremony, Oborevwori said the role of the traditional institution in the current democratic dispensation could not be overemphasized.

The governor said: “Professor Epiphany Azinge, the new Asagba of Asaba, is a legal luminary just as his predecessor, Professor Chike Edozien, was an icon in the medical field. What a story and a great blessing.

“I have no doubt that Professor Azinge will do the people of Asaba and the state proud. He is a dynamic personality, thought leader, purpose-driven, and consensus builder. These traits will serve him well to consolidate on the achievements of his predecessor while breaking new frontiers in the administration of the kingdom.

“His urbane outlook and statesmanlike disposition are essential qualities needed in the traditional ruler of a domain that is home to people of different tribes and tongues. I am fully persuaded that the kingdom of Asaba under his leadership will attain new heights in community development, peaceful co-existence, and enhanced government-community relations.”

He advised the monarch to make it his priority to carry everybody along, including those who disagree with him, as well as to maintain an open-door policy.

He said, “When people have a sense of belonging, they will gladly key into your administration’s agenda. Rest assured that the Delta State Government under my watch will continue to partner with you and other traditional rulers in the state for the enactment of people-oriented laws and policies necessary for the prosperity, peace, and progress of all.”

Oborevwori appealed to all indigenes of the kingdom to give their maximum support and cooperation to the new Asagba.

In his remarks, Chairman of Oshimili South Local Government Area (LGA), Chief Kelvin Ezenyili, noted that Azinge’s selection as the traditional leader of Asaba Kingdom did not come as a surprise “because of the level you have attained professionally and academically here in Nigeria and beyond.”

He added, “The journey was not an easy one, but all thanks be to God that you came out victorious. Today, you are being presented with a staff of office to function electively, and we are with you throughout this journey to ensure a better partnership with Oshimili South Local Government Council.”

Speaking with newsmen shortly, the Osama of Asaba, Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze, congratulated the governor “for making an exception on this momentous occasion for Asaba, Delta State, and Nigeria.

He said, “The staff of office would normally be given to the Asagba by the deputy governor, but because of the significance of the occasion and the long-existing relationships between both parties, the governor decided to present it himself.

“It also speaks to what a special day this is for Asaba and Nigeria. This Asaba Kingdom was once where the story of Nigeria started. In the colonial days, Asaba was the headquarters of what was the colonial administration in Nigeria, so anything that happens here has a long history and tradition because it is the beginning of the Nigerian story.”