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Appraising Kingship In Ndoni (11)

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For instance, the Aboh and Ndoni ancient towns were
first founded by the Igbo-speaking elements from Nri or Awka zone. For Aboh, they were the Akala or Akalai party whose eponymous ancestor was Ogidi who magically invoked down an imposing rock (salvivic water deity) that aided his party to cross the Niger from Isala axis, a reason why the ancestors of Akili never drowned in the river. In Ndoni, they were the Obonya elements, whose ancestor was Awka, father of Aguukwu to Ezenwocha and Anyaogwu. Both Ogidi and the Awka were reputed to have arrived at the banks of the lower Niger about the 10th century or before. History has it that the Onya siblings among the Akalai elements moved downstream and founded the Onya town before Aboh conquered the Akalai people and dispersed them into founding the Akalai Obodo, Akalai-etiti, Akili Ogidi and Akili-Ozizor area of Ogbaru – spreading to Delta and Anambra States. Among the Onya siblings, are those in Onikwu, Atani, Engeni, Okpai and Onuabor, etc. As the Igwe culture follows them along, it is wrong to relate the aborigines of this group to Benin without any linguistic and cultural evidences. The name “Akalai or Akili” originated from “akala” or tattoo-marked ichi faces of the ancient Igbo elements at Aboh axis. The word “akala” got corrupted to Akalai, Akarai or Akili with time, movement and linguistic associations of stranger elements in the midst of the people at various locations. Indeed, Ndoni axis was the focal point for the crossing of the then narrow Niger to the Aboh complex by the first Igbo immigrants that enculturated the Aboh-Benin elements with Igbo language. It was as a result of this language that King Boy of Brass in the 18th century, described the Obi Ossai of Aboh as the king of Ibos during the slave trade. Moreso, from Ndoni axis, the group noted as Aguukwu descent moved to found the Odugili town near Ndoni in the 16th century.  Historical trend also proved that a descent group noted as uchi elements (umu-nshi or Umu-nri) also came from Nri, crossing the Niger from Ossomala axis to settle in the west bank, which a fractional group (Umu-uchi or Umu-nri) still settled in Ossomala and Odekpe towns first before the Igala immigrants arrived around the 16th century A. D.
For the fact that “Ndoni town” is a place of larger population and wider recognition in the district/area, the name is used to benchmark other smaller neighboring communities in Ndoni District as in Rivers State, hence the former Midwestern state of Nigeria named the district “Ndoni Area” and also called it “A special Area”, meaning (a district across the Niger with petroleum, gas and other natural resources). Ndoni area by 1976 became a district Headquarters administratively headed by an Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO). Despite the fact that the present Councils do not take proper care of the area, it is still one of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni or ONELGA outpost headquarters under the surveillance of the Awoh of Ndoni.
According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary by A. S. Hornby, “Revolution is any attempt to change a system of government, especially by force. It is also defined as any attempt to change any system or condition. Does the traditional coronation ceremony of 23rd November, 2013 represent a systematic subversion of the power of the Awoh or a revolution of the system of kingship in Ndoni District? Either of these may be saturated with sedition, anarchy and cultural hopelessness. In pursuit of the anthropological history of Ndoni Kingdom, the Igwe title of the extinct, ancient and acephalous Obonyan society of the early Igbo stock, was a gerontocratic patriarch (not king) of Obonya, who after the political and military conquest of the Obonya by the Ndoni royal stock in the 15th century, became the title of the Eze –Agana Juju priest,  below the Awoh in the entire Ndoni Kingdom, as established by the first Igwe Ezenwocha in the 17th century, just the same way as the Igwe title became of the Onikwu patriarch leader and priest of the Onite (Iguana) deity till date. How then can anybody in Ndoni Kingdom per se, take this priestly title as kingship? At least the Ndoni historians should be consulted before this arrangements; even though kingship in Ndoni must follow the ancestral divine right as all dictionaries of politics cover.
The reigning Awoh kingship in Ndoni kingdom originated with Omeke aborigines of Ndoni who migrated from Benin City through the modern-day Bayelsa State in the 15th Century. The kingship did not originate from Onikwu village either. The title of Igwe Akkah, however, has no cultural empiricism that can be traced back to the past as any existed kingship in the entire Ndoni Kingdom.  It only represents ethnical degradation in Ndoni culture, if it sustains.
As for the personality of Chief Victor Odili, he is a figure to reckon with as far as the socio-political history of Ndoni Town and the entire Ndoni area is concerned. However, my contention is that the Awoh of Ndoni kingdom, who is already recognised and coupled with the famous standard of Ndoni in Rivers state and Nigeria, should have been the rightful king  to bestow whatever title to him in order to legitimize it, given the ancientness and royalty of Ndoni Kingship, socio-political achievements and personalities that have so far risen from such a kingdom Akwe-Obodo is yet a patriarchal chiefdom, not a kingdom. How can an elder from a non-royal family of a chiefdom crown a person in an existing royal kingdom or is it a cultural bastardization and desecration that may sound ridiculous in history? As an Ndoni anthropologist and historian, I remember that on 14 June, 2006, I interviewed HRH Dr. Gabriel Okeya Obi X, Awoh of Ndoni about the recognition of other Ndoni district traditional rulers, which he said he had advised them to install their rulers and introduce to him, the Awoh, for confirmation.
As for the right whatsoever to raise any assistant ruler of Ndoni District, it is the place of the Awoh or for any urgent need, the Okpala-ukwu (odua) of Ndoni to do so. If the Odua does it, the Awoh confirms it on the throne later. The Oldest man in Ndoni district outside the royalty cannot be determined from the blues by political and egoistic randomization engendered by a revolutionary intent. This is because it is an extreme view to canvass for social horizontalism (non-hierarchy), in any African society. The oldest man in Ndoni district outside the royalty cannot be determined by Oracle or by skin wrinkles any longer, but by the early intellectual exposure of the Ndoni district people
Two days after the interment or enthronement of the king, Mmanwu may be invited later for benediction and spiritual biography of the king. The Mmanwu amidst prayers for long life of the king recounts the Mmanwu anthem which is “Igo Ofor and goes away after one (1) hour. For the king’s invitation of the Mmanwu, cows and fees for logistics are heavily sponsored, depending on the  number of Mmanwu bands invited. Any other reason for inviting sacred Mmanwu to enthronement feat amounts to cultural cynicism against the traditional statusquo, otherwise it is unnecessary.
From the view point of a writer and social commentator, the only way the Ndoni people may not be sniggered for vested interest and opportunism is to come together, close ranks and arrange things traditionally and conventionally for the world not to see this trend as a dynastic revolution and expediency, arising from a cross-sectional intransigence of some elements.
Concluded.
Ikwuazom is an Ndoni historian and anthropologist.
Charles Ikwuazom

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Kudos  Gov Fubara

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Please permit me to use this medium to appreciate our able governor, Siminalayi Fubara for the inauguration of the 14.2-kilometre Obodhi–Ozochi Road in Ahoada-East Local Government Area.  This inauguration marks a significant milestone in the history of our communities and deserves commendation. We, the people of Ozochi, are particularly happy because this project has brought long-awaited relief after years of isolation and hardship.
The expression of our traditional ruler, His Royal Highness, Eze Prince Ike Ehie, JP, during the inauguration captured the joy of our people.  He said, “our isolation is over.”  That reflects the profound impact of this road on daily life, economic activities, and social integration of the people of Ozochi and other neighbouring communities. The road will no doubt ease transportation, improve access to markets and healthcare, and strengthen links between Ahoada, Omoku, and other parts of Rivers State.
The people of Ahoada, Omoku, and indeed Rivers State as a whole are grateful to our dear governor for this laudable achievement and wish him many more successful years in office. We pray that God endows him with more wisdom and strength to continue to pilot the affairs of the state for the benefit of all. As citizens, we should rally behind the governor and support his development agenda. Our politicians and stakeholders should embrace peace and cooperation, as no meaningful progress can be achieved in an atmosphere of conflict. Sustainable development in the state can only thrive where peace prevails.
Samuel Ebiye
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… And It Came To Pass

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Quote:“Leadership is not measured by how hard one strikes back, but by how steady one remains under provocation.”
Tell it  in Rivers State, publish it  in the streets of Port Harcourt, so  the daughters of the State could rejoice, and the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph and know that Fubara is not vindictive”. And it came to pass that Rivers State emerged from one of the most delicate chapters in its political journey, the period of emergency rule that spanned from March 18 to September 18, 2025. It was a season that tested institutions, strained loyalties, and exposed the fragile balance between power and principle. During that time, the suspended Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara DSSRS, was widely believed to have suffered not only political setbacks but personal betrayal, allegedly from some top civil servants within the state apparatus. These were individuals expected to uphold neutrality and professionalism, yet were accused in public opinion of taking sides against the very government they served.
As the emergency rule ended and Governor Fubara resumed office, expectations were shaped less by policy and more by emotion. Many assumed that revenge would quietly find expression through governance. The loudest suspicion centered on the 2025 Christmas bonus of ?100,000 traditionally paid to each worker. The thinking was simple and cynical: a wounded governor would surely withhold goodwill. Some voices even mocked workers  openly hoping that the governor would refuse to pay the bonus. To them, denial of the bonus would serve as proof of political strength and justified retaliation. In reality, such thinking revealed a troubling desire to see governance reduced to personal vendetta. Yet,  it came to pass, the governor chose a path that confounded suspicion. Against all expectations, the 2025 Christmas bonus was paid.
That single decision quietly but firmly reframed the narrative. It showed a leader focused on governance rather than grudges, on institutional continuity rather than emotional satisfaction. The payment was not a favor, nor was it a concession; it was a statement that public administration must rise above personal injury. By honoring the bonus, Governor Fubara demonstrated that leadership is not measured by how hard one strikes back, but by how steady one remains under provocation. He made it clear that workers’ welfare would not become collateral damage in political disagreements. This action also served as a moral rebuke to those who celebrated division and hoped for punishment. Governance is not validated by the suffering of workers, nor is leadership strengthened by withholding entitlements. At the same time, the issue of alleged sycophancy and betrayal within the civil service cannot be brushed aside. If proven, such conduct deserves firm, lawful, and institutional correction. Civil servants are bound by duty to the state, not to political conspiracies or shifting loyalties.
However, justice must never be confused with revenge. The strength of governance lies in correcting wrongs without destroying the system itself. Governor Fubara’s restraint suggested an understanding that the future of Rivers State mattered more than settling scores. For workers, this moment carried an important lesson. Celebration should be rooted in good governance, not in the expectation of another’s downfall. Rejoicing in rumors of denial or punishment undermines the very stability that protects workers’ welfare. Public service thrives where professionalism, mutual respect, and accountability are upheld. Pettiness, gossip, and political scheming only weaken institutions and erode trust. History often remembers leaders not for the crises they inherit, but for the character they display in response. In paying the 2025 Christmas bonus, Governor Fubara chose legacy over impulse, maturity over malice.
And so, it came to pass that focus defeated revenge, governance triumphed over bitterness, and Rivers State was reminded that true leadership is proven when restraint is expected least but delivered most. Beyond the symbolism of the Christmas bonus lies a deeper question about the kind of political culture Rivers State intends to cultivate in the years ahead. Periods of emergency rule, anywhere in the world, often leave behind residues of suspicion, fear, and silent realignments. Institutions do not emerge untouched; individuals recalibrate loyalties, some out of conviction, others out of self-preservation. What distinguishes stable democracies from fragile ones is not the absence of such moments, but the discipline with which leadership manages their aftermath. River.
King Onunwor
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That Withdrawal of Police   Orderlies  From VIPs

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Quote:”Balancing VIP security with public safety remains a tightrope walk in a country where the majority of citizens are still under-protected.”
The Presidential announcement on the removal of police orderlies from persons in authority and their relations  ( Very Important Persons ) last month came as a relief to many Nigerians who felt deprived    of one major  role of government ; security of lives and property.The higher  population of Nigerians  missed needed security because the VIPs and the VVIPs kept  retinue of Police Officers  totalling over 100 ,000 to  themselves and their family members as if they are all that matter  while some  communities under attack of terrorists  have no single unit of  police station located there in. While many hailed the announcement , some said perhaps the government has just woken up to her major responsibility of securing the lives and property of all  citizens while many expressed indifference on the note that it may be one of those pronouncements which come only in words but no action .Many keep their fingers crossed watching how it will play out , how Mr President  will  go about the implementation of the seemingly dicey  policy .
Benjamin Franklin  said “well said is better than well done ”  It is sufficient today to say that many Nigerians including me are still waiting and watching to see  how well  and how long this  return  of the Police service to the ordinary people will go . Wishing hopes will not be crashed ,  It  is note worthy, that  the recent complaints by the VIPs of being exposed to attacks  may in a way affect the action on implementation. Recently, at Senate plenary , another worrisome  angle came up as Senator Abdul Ningi  coming through a motion    disclosed that he had only one police officer attached to him ( his office ) and that  the officer was recalled the week before following  Mr President’s directive  . Senator Ningi said the withdrawal exposed him to high risks but underscored the angle that while his orderly  was recalled , many other politicians , men  and women in authority, business concerns   foreigners  and even children of some  VIPs are still enjoying retinue of police protection ( officially attached to them ).
 It’s note  worthy also that the Deputy Senate President , Distinguished Senator Jibrin Barau,  who presided  over  the session revealed that the  leadership of both chambers are already in discussion with President Tinubu on the need  to exempt  the law makers  from the new policy .  Senator Ningi may not be  wrong . After all he emphasized he is okay  provided that the removal of the Police Orderlies be done across board . Senator Barau noted that talks are on  over the issue of law makers’    in line with international practice . Further details from the Presidency  noted  that   Presiding officers  will retain their  police officers ,  others would have Civil Defense  officers ( NSCDC) as orderlies while  any other VIP who feels he or she deserves personal police protection should get clearance from  his office . In the midst of all  issues weighing in on the proper implementation , it becomes necessary  to bear in mind that  the decision  hinges on  the realization that Nigeria has peculiar security issues (of kidnappings, banditry, and terrorism.) and that  majority of Nigerians   are under protected.
More so, that if well  implemented, Police officers will focus on core duties; even as 30,000 new police officers are to  recruited to enhance security .That implementation  must be made in a  way that leaves no room.for selective  treatment loss of confidence  and  controversies.  Looking at previous attempts of  implementation  of this policy  gives faint hope  as several  attempts consistently failed . Former  IGPs like Tafa Balogun (2003), Ogbonnaya Onovo (2009), and Ibrahim Idris (2018) tried  the policy but all  failed due to political resistance from various angles. All the failed attempts  were tied to lack of political will  mostly due to the fact that the directives came from police chiefs, not the president. Selective Enforcement was another killer to the policy  as  partial implementation  met  resistance   and   later  reversal . Egbetokun (2023) and Adamu (2020) saw minimal impact.
Further more entrenched corruption in the system saw  Politicians and VIPs quietly regain police escorts due to ‘transactional economics”and pressure. Worse still the mindset of the  police officers  withdrawn didn’t help the policy Underpaid police prioritize VIP duties for extra benefits. Many wish President Tinubu’s move can  break this cycle.  As at today, he  still  insists the move is non-negotiable while stressing collaboration with states to upgrade training facilities. As citizens look forward to  success of the policy  without undue exposure of both sides, balancing VIP security with public safety remains a tightrope walk. Talk fades ; action echoes.  How the Presidency  implements this policy.  has  much to tell on the governments stand on national / community  security , choice of priority and the ability to   stand uncomprised . The known  goal is clear:  The outcome is  not yet certain.  Fingers crossed , we await . Definitely , time will tell.
By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi.
s State stood at such a crossroads in September 2025. The temptation to rule with a long memory and a heavy hand was real. Yet, the choice made signaled a preference for healing over hardening. Leadership after crisis demands more than administrative competence; it requires moral clarity.
 Governor Fubara’s decision reminded the state that authority is not best exercised through silent punishment or selective generosity. Rather, it is strengthened when rules remain rules, irrespective of personal injury. By keeping faith with workers, the government preserved an essential firewall between politics and public service. That firewall, once breached, turns governance into a battlefield where livelihoods become weapons. Rivers State narrowly avoided that descent. In doing so, it affirmed that institutions must outlive tempers, and governance must not mirror the bitterness of political seasons. This moment also invites sober introspection within the civil service itself. Allegations of partisanship, if left unresolved, corrode professionalism and weaken public confidence. A civil service that drifts into political camps loses its moral authority and operational effectiveness.
Therefore, reform, where necessary, should be guided by due process, transparency, and institutional review—not whispers, witch-hunts, or mob verdicts. Accountability strengthens systems when it is fair; it destroys them when it is arbitrary. The restraint shown by the executive places a corresponding burden on administrative leadership to restore discipline, neutrality, and pride in public service. For the wider political class and the commentariat, the episode serves as a caution against normalizing cruelty as strategy. The eagerness with which some anticipated workers’ suffering revealed a dangerous appetite for scorched-earth politics. When governance becomes a spectator sport where pain is cheered and deprivation is weaponized, society inches toward moral exhaustion. Rivers State has seen enough turbulence to know that stability is not sustained by triumphalism, but by restraint.
The lesson is simple yet profound: power is fleeting, but institutions endure; leaders pass, but precedents remain. In the end, the payment of the 2025 Christmas bonus was more than a fiscal act—it was a civic statement. It told workers they were not expendable. It told political actors that revenge would not be policy. And it told the state that maturity in leadership is not weakness, but strength under control. In a climate where many expected fire, restraint prevailed; where bitterness was predicted, balance emerged. Thus, Rivers State was offered a rare reminder that governance, at its best, is an act of discipline, and leadership, at its highest, is the courage to rise above provocation.
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