By Enideneze Etete
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Plans have commenced in earnest, to construct a King’s palace in Atissa Kingdom of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State Capital.
This is the outcome of discussions spearheaded by Prof. Steve Azaiki, at the weekend, when he paid homage to HRM (Sir) King Godwin G. Igodo, Ebenibe of Atissa Kingdom and the Chiefs Council at Obogoro in Yenagoa.
Prof. Steve Azaiki, the Obevie One of Atissa Kingdom and member of the Chiefs Council stated that a palace for the King and his Council was overdue, given the vantage position of Atissa as host of the State Capital.
Azaiki, who is also a Legislator representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma at the Federal House of Representatives, assured of his contribution towards realisation of the palace project.
He therefore, urged the Council to set up committees and quickly work out modalities for construction of the palace. The Obevie One of Atissa Kingdom, added that he would be gladdened to see the project materialize in the reign of King Igodo who has resiliently served the Kingdom as its Ebenibe as well as former Chairman of Bayelsa Council of Traditional Rulers.
Speaking further during the homage, Prof. Azaiki urged the Council to set up a committee for redeveloping protocols of Atissa Kingship and traditions in order to enshrine reverence for the institution. Others are a committee to interface with Oguan ethnic groups in Bayelsa, Rivers and Edo States, to reinforce the people’s common heritage, and a committee for organising Atissa Annual Cultural Fiesta beginning November this year.
According to Prof. Azaiki, aside the Adiafa Festival, the cultural fiesta would serve as a means to fully show case and transmit Atissa’s entire culture to the present and future generations.
Pledging to support the committees in the discharge of the assignments, Prof. Azaiki assured he would also support the cultural fiesta.
Responding, Secretary and Spokesman of the Atissa Council of Chiefs, His Highness Roosevelt Abasi, thanked the Lawmaker for the initiatives and commitment to assisting the Kingdom in executing the aforementioned projects. He described Prof. Azaiki as a selfless leader who has contributed a lot to the development of society and individuals, assuring that the Council would swing into actions immediately.
In his remarks, HRH Victor Diemeze Awala, Ebene-Okunu Atissa, the Second, expressed delight over Prof. Azaiki’s innovative ideas, adding that the Council already has more than 20 plots of lands to site the Atissa King’s palace project.
Similarly, Engr. Igonibo Igodo commended the Lawmaker for the kind gestures and urged him to use his vast affiliations to do more for Epie/Atissa and Bayelsa State.
The Atissa Council of Chiefs resolved in part, to launch a fund for the construction of the King’s palace. It called on Bayelsa State Government, Yenagoa Local Government Council, Nigerian Content Development Management Board (NCMDB), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and companies operating in the Kingdom to support the palace project.
The council thanked Governor Douye Diri for the erosion intervention project at Obogoro, and called for speedy completion of the canalization project.
It further appealed to the President Mohammadu Buhari’s-led Federal Government, to approve shore protection project for the Obogoro, as directed by the House of Representatives’ resolution, following the community’s petition presented to the House by Prof. Azaiki.
In his vote of thanks, HRM (Sir) King Godwin G. Igodo, Ebenibe of Atissa Kingdom, appreciated Prof. Steve Azaiki for the homage, and prayed God to grant him more strength and opportunities to support physical and human development aspirations of the people.
