Delta: Aboh monarch receives staff of office amidst pomp, pageantry

“Perhaps it could not have been otherwise. Your Royal Majesty is inheriting the enviable peace, harmony, and love, which are some of the enduring legacies left behind by your predecessor, Obi Imegwu. His peaceful disposition extended beyond the frontiers of Aboh Kingdom, as he became the rallying point of royalty in Ndoshimili and beyond.

Continuing, the governor said, “I urge you, the people of Aboh Kingdom, to accept the challenge of making the reign of Obi Oputa III one of the most successful in the annals of kingship not only in Aboh, Ndoshimili, or Delta State but the country in general.

“I urge you, as a matter of tradition and the long history of your genial bent, to accord the Obi your total and unqualified support and loyalty to enable him to focus better on providing qualitative and selfless leadership for the kingdom.

“I thank you for the kind words you offered about the administration and the modest efforts we are making to develop every part of the state. I also thank you most sincerely for your patience and orderly conduct of your affairs.”

Addressing calls by riverine communities for the River Niger to be dredged to mitigate flooding, the governor stated, “The issue of dredging the River Niger is a longstanding one. It would be best handled by the Federal Government, as many states will be affected.”

Earlier, the Iyasele (Prime Minister) of Aboh Kingdom, High Chief Charles Odili, highlighted the new monarch’s ambition to restore the lost glory of the kingdom. He also called for the full cooperation of the Aboh Traditional Council to support this arduous task.

“To those who contested and lost, I wish to extend my olive branch to you. Come and join us to build the kingdom,” the Prime Minister said.

High Chief Odili used the occasion to draw the attention of the state government to the various challenges facing the area, including the annual flooding and erosion menace, which submerge farms, cause water levels to reach ceiling and roof heights, and result in the loss of annual harvests.

The people appealed for the dredging of the River Niger. “If dredged and shoreline protection is constructed with the sand backfilled, it will reclaim several kilometres of land for the development of a brand-new town,” he said.

“If you dredge the Niger, you have given us almost everything. There’s so much water in Aboh, but there is no water to drink. It is so ironic. The Niger water is undrinkable, and the borehole water is laden with iron. In fact, the borehole water turns brown like coffee thirty minutes after fetching.”

They also called for the rehabilitation of the only link road from Ashaka to Aboh, which is prone to annual flooding.

According to the Chairman of Ndokwa East Local Government Council, Hon. Vincent Osilonya, in his address, the presentation of the Staff of Office has put to rest the tussle for the Aboh Royal Stool. He urged the people to unite and rally around their king.

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