ASABA/Nigeria: Former Delta State Governor and APC Delta North senatorial candidate, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has commended the Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty Prof. Epiphany Chigbogu Azinge, SAN, for using his two years on the throne to promote community development and strengthen the traditional institution.
Okowa gave the commendation during activities marking the second anniversary of Azinge’s coronation at the Asagba Palace, Asaba, where he described the monarch’s tenure as one that has combined traditional leadership with practical interventions aimed at improving the lives of residents.
According to the former governor, Azinge’s approach has demonstrated that traditional institutions can contribute meaningfully to development beyond their cultural and ceremonial responsibilities.
He specifically cited the monarch’s interventions in healthcare, education, youth development and peacebuilding as areas where the traditional institution has been deployed to address issues affecting the community.
In a goodwill message following the anniversary activities, Okowa said the transformation recorded at the palace within two years reflected the monarch’s commitment to service and responsible leadership.
He said the Asagba had brought a new dimension to traditional leadership by placing the welfare of the people and peaceful coexistence at the centre of his reign.
Okowa also commended Azinge for what he described as his humility, vision and dedication to the people of Asaba, while praying for continued wisdom, strength and divine guidance for the monarch.
The second anniversary celebration brought together traditional rulers, chiefs, indigenes, political leaders and other stakeholders who joined the Asaba Kingdom in marking the milestone.
Azinge’s reign has also featured development initiatives and projects linked to the strengthening of community facilities and the preservation of Asaba’s cultural heritage. Recent anniversary activities included the commissioning of projects and facilities as part of a broader programme of traditional, religious, cultural and development-oriented events.
Okowa, who governed Delta State from 2015 to 2023, has remained active in engagements involving traditional institutions in the state. His current political activities include his bid to represent Delta North in the Senate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 general election. Niger Delta Today
Prof. Azinge, a distinguished lawyer and former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, became the 14th Asagba of Asaba in 2024 following the death of his predecessor, His Royal Majesty Obi Prof. Chike Edozien, in February of that year. Niger Delta Today
His emergence brought to the traditional throne a background spanning law, academia and public administration, which has continued to feature prominently in discussions about his leadership of the Asaba Kingdom.
