Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Barr. Chiedu Ebie, has called on the nine states that make up the commission to co-exist and work harmoniously in order to benefit in terms of infrastructural and human capital development.
He stated this when he visited the palace of the late Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty Obi Chike Edozien, families of Obi Martha Dunkwu, Omu Anioma and icon of Anioma culture at Okpanam as well as Dr Cairo Ojougboh, who passed on recently.
Ebie assured the people of Niger Delta of even distribution of impactful projects in the region, promising to advance the development of the Anioma nation as long as he remains the chairman.
“As an indigene of Delta and an Anioma son, we will work hard, give our best shot to ensure that the Anioma people and the people of Delta State benefit from our tenure as members of the board of the commission,” he said.
While vowing to honour the principles and virtues espoused by the monarch, he described the late monarch as an outstanding personality who distinguished himself in the medical profession and academia before ascending the throne in 1991, coinciding with the creation of Delta State.
“At that time, Asaba being the capital of the new state was transforming from a town to a city. So, he (Obi Edozien) was saddled with the responsibility of ensuring the development of the town into a city and the peaceful coexistence of indigenes and non-indigenes,” Ebie said.
He consoled the wife of the late monarch, Agu’Nwanyi Modupe Edozien, urging her to take solace in the giant accomplishments of her husband.
On behalf of the Edozien family, one of the daughters of the late monarch, Miss Ngozi Edozien, thanked the NDDC chairman for his visit to condole with them, adding that his kind words were a great comfort in their moment of grief.
At the palace of the Ugoani of Okpanam HRM, Dr Michael Mbanefo Ugbolu and the Ugoani-in-Council over the death of the Omu of Okpanam and Omu Anioma, he said the death of the Omu was shocking, describing her as a strong voice, community leader, human rights activist, reformer and a custodian of culture of the Anioma people.
Addressing the Ojougboh family in Agbor, Ebie noted that late former lawmaker was a dogged politician. He revealed that late Dr Ojougboh knew him when he was a kid. He added that his late father, Prof John Ebie, taught Ojougboh at the Medical School in University of Benin and that he fondly called him by his surname.
