Former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, has described the death of the Amanyabo of Kalabari Kingdom in Rivers State, King Theophilus Princewill, as not just a loss to the traditional institution in the country, but a loss to humanity and the academic community.
The late Princewill, who was a Professor of Microbiology and former chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, will be buried on November 29 and November 30, 2023.
Jonathan spoke yesterday when members of the central burial committee for the funeral visited him at his residence in Port Harcourt.
The former president who referred to the late traditional ruler as ‘a king among kings’, recalled his university days experience when the late Princewill was first posted to the University of Port Harcourt as a lecturer.
While consoling the family and the entire Kalabari Kingdom over the loss, Jonathan promised his assistance in ensuring the successful burial.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the chairman of the committee, Prince Tonye Princewill, said as the highest ranking Niger Delta son and a former student of the University of Port Harcourt, the visit to Jonathan was imperative as letters would not suffice.
He thanked the former president for the roles played in the life of the king when he was president.
