Cross Rivers State first class Royal Father, the Obong of Calabar, His Eminence, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu, has lauded Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Joseph Fubara for his support to the traditional institution, urging him to remain focused amidst the ongoing political turbulence in the state.
The Royal Father who stated this yesterday during the inauguration of the Palace of Eze Apara in Rumuigbo, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
Declaring his solidarity with Gov. Fubara, he asked the governor to continue to defend the mandate freely, willingly, peacefully and resoundingly given to him by the people.
He said: “Don’t let them distract you, shut out the noise, and focus on delivering the dividends of democracy to the generality of the good people of Rivers State, who combined together to be your employers and your bosses”.
The monarch commended Gov. Fubara for all the projects he had either initiated or completed since he assumed office.
He said: “This is what we expect of successive administrations to realize that they are running a relay race to develop any institution where they find themselves at any given time. Your Excellency you have done well and I must say we are proud of you”.
The King hailed the governor for turning his attention to traditional institutions and regretted that many government officials paid lip service to such institution.
He expressed happiness that successive administrations in Rivers had continued to develop infrastructures for traditional institutions recalling that he once joined others to witness the inauguration of the Secretariat built for the state Council of Traditional Rulers.
According to him: “For initiating and completing this project. Let me also use this opportunity to call on other governors and politicians to emulate what you have done. And I am sure you will continue to do well in Rivers State for the traditional institution as well as other timeous and people-oriented projects”.
The Obong of Calabar congratulated the Chairman of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Majesty Eze Chike Worlu Wodo Eze Ohna Apara kingdom on his new palace.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has appealed to his loyalists in the State to resist the temptation of fighting back even in the face of provocation.
Gov. Fubara, maintained that in all circumstances his supporters must maintain the peace in the State.
The governor acknowledged that at the end of the crisis, some of them will be taken to court and charged for some offences, but he asked them to remain strong because his government will always be with them.
He said: “The only thing I will ask in return is continue to support this administration and be law abiding that is the only way we can get more progress and bring more development into your community.
“No matter the level of provocation try to control your temper. You don’t use fight to resolve fight. We need peace applied with Artificial Intelligence methods to defeat trouble. I know that when we finish this commissioning, some of you will be taken to court tomorrow and some of you will be charged for one offence or the other. But just be strong, we will be there for you”.
The governor asked the people of the area to protect the new palace describing it as a legacy and warning them against fighting inside the edifice.
He said: “We came, we saw and we conquered positively for you. protect this palace; it is a legacy for you. When you are fighting don’t come and fight inside here, do that outside, knowing that when the Eze finishes another person will also come and operate from here. So it is a legacy of the Kingdom and it belongs to everyone, it doesn’t belong to the present Eze, so protect it”.
Sir Fubara noted that he discovered the palace was still under construction and decided to swiftly complete it to allow the current Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers to host his events in the palace without bringing such programmes to Government House.
“We know what happens in other places when you have meetings of traditional rulers and you go to other states you see wonderful palaces of the traditional rulers. So, I think it is right for us to start beautifying our traditional rulers so that people will see them and respect them”, he said.
Gov. Fubara said his administration will construct and upgrade all the internal roads in the area to reciprocate their support.
He emphasised that his love for the people could be felt by all in many ways adding that his administration was building a general hospital and upgrading the Neuropsychiatric Hospital to a modern one to withstand the challenges ahead.
He said: “We are not just ending there, we are building a palace for the Royal Highness of Akpor Kingdom maybe by the grace of God by February we shall also inaugurate it. It is showing love and the importance that I attach to the Obio/Akpor . So continue to support our administration and we will also continue to do better and well for you”.
Gov.Fubara pointed out that he invited the Obong of Calabar, a first class king in Cross River State to inaugurate the project because he knew the importance of such Palace
“So, he understands what we are doing that is why I invited him so that he would come and commission it, so that the memory and the strategies that they are using over there he will share with our Eze to enable him apply it here and this Palace will stand forever”, he said.
Speaking on behalf of the Committee of the Apara kingdom, the Chairman, Senator John Azuta Mbata commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for assisting the kingdom to complete the project.
He said the government of Sir Siminalayi Fubara has continued to show respect and accord the traditional institution its rightful place as the commissioning of the Palace of the Eze Apara exemplifies his benevolence to the people of Obio/Akpor Local Government
Describing the features of the Palace, Senator Mbata said it has an 8-bedroom mansion with 3-sitting rooms, while other parts have the People’s Hall which has a main hall with 500-sitting capacity and 3 meeting rooms. The Palace also has a VVIP hall where the Eze conducts meetings and entertains guests and a guest house.
On his part, the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Amb. Chijioke Ihunwo applauded Governor Siminalayi Fubara for his love for Obio/Akpor noting that it took the governor’s commitment to build a Palace for the Apara people which their son who was once a governor could not do.
He emphasised that for such commitment to developing Obio/Akpor the LGA will continue to stand with the governor and support him at all times.
