PORT HARCOURT/Nigeria: Mr. Chiedu Ebie, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has congratulated His Royal Majesty, Obi (Prof) Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON, on his emergence as the Asagba of Asaba designate. In a personal statement made available to newsmen in Agbor, Delta State, on Monday, August 19, 2024, Ebie expressed optimism that the Asaba Kingdom will witness increased peace and development under the reign of Obi Azinge.
Ebie lauded the accomplishments of His Royal Majesty, noting that his selection for the throne is expected to bring good fortune to Asaba, which also serves as the capital of Delta State. He highlighted Obi Azinge’s distinguished career as a legal practitioner, reaching the pinnacle of both academic and professional legal practice.
“As a legal luminary, his achievements are both towering and legendary,” Ebie remarked. “He is among the very well-respected senior lawyers that many of us looked up to during our formative years in legal practice. His legal treatises and dissertations on contemporary legal issues have served as invaluable learning instruments for law students and emerging lawyers.”
Ebie, who served as the Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education and later as Secretary to the State Government, reflected on his time as a student of Obi Azinge at the Faculty of Law, University of Benin, Benin-City, Edo State. He described him as a scholarly and strategic thinker, with a reputation for erudition in the lecture halls. As the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) and a member representing Nigeria and Africa at the Commonwealth Arbitral Tribunal in London, Obi Azinge left an indelible mark on public leadership.
Ebie expressed confidence that Obi Azinge’s ascension to the revered traditional position would greatly benefit both the state and the nation. He encouraged the Asagba designate to draw from his extensive leadership experience as he assumes the role of the 14th Asagba of Asaba. Concluding his statement, Ebie prayed for God’s blessings of wisdom and perfect health for Obi Azinge, essential for the effective administration of the Asaba Kingdom.
