A former Delta State Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah, on Thursday, described Prof. Epiphany Azinge, the new Asagba-designate, as a leader made to be king.
He noted that the former Director General of the Nigerian Institute for Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) was a man of candour, intellect and of urbane spirit, yet grounded in deep traditionalism.
Unlike any other Asaba man of his generation, Ogeah who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of MacFolly Hospitality Ltd, owners of the Lagos Marriott Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, said Azinge is totally ‘Asaba-centric’ and has always fiercely placed Asaba first in all his past endeavours.
“As an ‘Olinzele’, a Chief in the Court of the Asagba, he is the ‘Okilolo’ of Asaba which makes him the ‘intellectual storehouse’ of the Palace. Asaba is indeed lucky to have such an intellectual giant succeed the very massive shoes of the departed equally intellectual giant in the immediate past royal father”, Ogeah stated.
Recalling his younger days as a student of St. Patrick’s College, Asaba, Ogeah said Azinge who is also an old boy of the college was like a big brother to him, an extension of the relationship between their families, especially their mother’s who were ‘great friends’.
With the peaceful emergence of the Asagba-designate where all the five ‘ebos’ (villages) voted overwhelmingly for him, the former commissioner said it showed how acceptable he is to the entire Asaba Kingdom.
Ogeah expressed optimism that Asaba and the monarchy were primed for an even greater future under the Asagba-designate.
“Asaba can only consolidate on its position as ‘primus inter pares’ in the comity of traditional rulers in Nigeria,” he added.
Azinge emerged the 14th Asagba on Sunday, August 11, 2024 following the announcement of the kingmakers after Prof. Chike Edozien, the 13th Asagba, joined his ancestors on February 7, 2024.
Azinge also previously served as a judge at the Commonwealth Arbitral Tribunal in London, where he was president while representing Nigeria and Africa.
The Asagba-designate who has had years of teaching experience was a senior lecturer at the University of Benin Law Faculty and University of Abuja before he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies as its fifth director general.
He was the President General of Asaba Development Union (ADU) worldwide, the umbrella body of all true sons and daughters of Asaba ancestry.
Emmanuel Addeh
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