THE Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Asagba Prof Epiphany Azinge, SAN, has said the people of Asaba are in support of the creation of Anioma State, but will want the request pursued in a strategic manner.
Speaking in his Palace when a former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and Onwa Ahaba, Rt. Hon Chief Peter Onwusanya, came for the revalidation of his Oath of Allegiance to the throne, the Asagba-in-Council and the entire Asaba community, Asagba Prof Azinge said “having lived together as one, we must be strategic enough in the pursuit of our own state to be sure we won’t have any problem pulling out”.
He said he had urged Senator Ned Nwoko, who is championing the Anioma cause, to take the matter to the State Governor, Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, suggesting that all Anioma traditional rulers should be mobilized to go with him to see the Governor and seek his support for the new state.
The Asagba remarked that the expectation of Anioma people to have their own state should be backed with mutual understanding to avoid issues, adding that it was most appropriate to carry the Governor along in the quest for the proposed state.
The First Class traditional ruler drew the attention of his Palace Chiefs to the yet-to-be-inaugurated Technical Committee on the creation of Anioma State, pointing out that he had made a case for the inclusion of more Asaba Indigenes in the Committee.
He congratulated Ogbueshi Rt. Hon Peter Onwusanya for revalidation his oath of allegiance, declaring that he had never doubted his loyalty to the throne and was satisfied with the contributions he had made to the development of the community when he was the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and as Chairman of some of the Committees he constituted.
In his remarks after renewing his Oath of Allegiance, the Onwa, Ogbueshi Rt. Hon Chief Peter Onwusanya, said he was proud to have Asagba Prof Azinge as his king, describing the foremost traditional ruler as a game changer who had positively impacted the community since his ascension to the throne.
Ogbueshi Onwusanya thanked His Majesty for the honour to attend the Asagba Executive Council meetings, which was never the case several years after taking the title, and pledged absolute loyalty and allegiance to the throne, the Asagba-in-Council and the Asaba community as a whole.
