By Austin Ogwuda
FORMER Governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori has for the first revealed how the departed Asagba of Asaba Obi (Prof) Chike Edozien strongly defended the Anioma cause and even sent a delegation to him while he was in prison in far away London.
He disclosed this while speaking at a reception organized by Asaba Community in honour of the departed Asagba at the Dome Event Centre, Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria, on Friday.
Ibori stated that the Asagba was unrelenting in his demand for equity in multi ethnic Delta, holding strategic consultations until the actualization of the clamour for Anioma -born Governor, pointing out that he (Asagba) led a delegation of Anioma monarchs to former President Goodluck Jonathan insisting that Delta North must produce the Governor of the State in 2015.
His words, “While I was away, Asagba of Asaba sent three persons to meet me over Anioma quest for Governor. He was clear in his demand that an Anioma must produce the next governor to succeed Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan.
“He was a man of courage who was apolitical and brutally frank. As Governor, I recalled a day the late Asagba met me in the office. The then Head of Service, an Urhobo man was retiring, Asagba inquired that he heard I was about to appoint another Urhobo as Head of Service and I answered in the affirmative. He told me that was wrong.
“He was an intellectual Monarch with great love for the peace and progress of Delta”, Ibori stated.
Also eulogizing the Asagba, the immediate past governor of the State, who incidentally became the beneficiary of that quest, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa recalled with nostalgia that “the late Asagba, His Royal Majesty, Obi Professor Chike Edozien championed the advocacy that made an Anioma son to become Delta Governor.
“Even at 90, he stood strong leading a delegation of Anioma Monarchs to Abuja. He demanded firmly that it was necessary for Delta North to have the Governorship seat.
“To the glory of God that became possible when I was elected Governor in 2015, fulfilling a historic mandate. That gave the people of Anioma a sense of belonging, strengthening peace and unity in Delta.
“Asagba”, Okowa continued, “contributed so much to peaceful co-existence among Deltans and the development of Asaba. In recognition of Asagba’s great efforts in the growth of the State, my adminstration deemed it benefiting to name the Delta Secretariat edifice after him.
“He would be remembered as a noble King and respected academic”, he added.